Chilean miners - a year on

A year ago tomorrow the last of the 33 miners trapped for two months 2,500 feet below ground in Chile was rescued. The miners were greeted by one of the biggest media storms the world has ever seen - the spotlight of the world really did shine on them. One can only imagine what having to contend with the ordeal of being trapped for 70 days was like, to be swiftly followed by intense media interest in your every move.

But then what after the spotlight faded? The demands of instant celebrity have led to drug and alcohol problems for some, others have emotional and psychological problems. The mooted Hollywood film of the rescue seems a long way off. Most are unemployed. A few still travel to talk about their experiences.

With the modern media stream stories come and go with ever increasing rapidness. It seems our attention spans are withering as we are bombarded with information from infinite sources. Sadly, when the news trucks move on, and the newspapers are keeping our chips warm, there are people left behind who have to get on with their lives. Let us hope for a happy future for them all.