Essex kidnap victim Paul Winder was planning Christmas with his familiy after a terrifying nine-month ordeal in a South American jungle.

And his first request was for cheese on toast and a lager.

Paul, 29, was captured at gunpoint after stumbling across rebels while hunting for rare orchids in the Colombian jungle.

Along with fellow traveller Tom Hart Dyke, he was held hostage until his released earlier this week.

As he arrived at his Great Baddow home, Paul said last week it was "fantastic" to be back in Essex.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.