The web is littered with discussion boards featuring threads on corporal punishment. Many of the entries are clearly works of fantasy; that said, the entertaining fictional interludes come with the added frisson that they might – just – be genuine.

Take the following, from Scarlett, a poster on The Answer Bank:

My school had a cane, and it was very rarely used – but the fact that it was there acted as a deterrent…. In fact I only remember it being used once, on a girl (!) who set a fire extinguisher off. Everyone in the school was SO shocked that the cane was finally being used, we didn’t dare BREATHE next to a fire extinguisher after that!

I can just imagine Haron breathing on fire extinguishers wherever we go in the next few days, just to show off her bravery…