1. What are the contents of your pockets right now?

Penknife, rubber, pencil, black biro, tape measure, digital camera and a good amount of ground in mud.

2. Have you ever had a nickname?

Nope

3. When did you first realise you were an archaeologist?

Probably as I sat in a cabin with no heating or tea facilities, 20minutes walk away from the nearest loo, in the middle of a snow covered field in Nuneaton and didn't mind!

4. What's your earliest memory?

My sister being born.

5. If you could pursue another career, what would it be?

Tried teaching, retail, planning department. Didn't stick with any of them. When archaeology is good, you can't beat it. Though I wish I had a stick big enough to try.

6. If you could be world dictator for a day, what would be your first edict?

Can I just take the money, leave the decision making?

7. What has been your most interesting discovery?

5 Roman oil lamps and a cremation urn in a Roman burial ground in Doncaster.

8. What wouldn't you do for money?

Eat mash potato.

9. What do you wish you'd paid more attention to in school?

I was a swot, I paid attention to everything...I forgot it all when I left!

10. Archaeology... what's the point?

I ask myself that all the time.

11. What frustrates you the most about archaeology?

Everything! Wages, crappy contracts, developers who don't give a damn, commercial units who give even less of a damn, grumble, grumble, grumble...

12. What is the best thing about your job?

Being outdoors and watching the changing of the seasons...and shiny new 46ton 360s.

13. What would be your advice to prospective archaeologists?

Do not do this job!! But if you feel you have to, then get as much experience as you can while you're a student and for as many different aspects as you can especially Geophysics and site survey.

14. If you could go back in time, what period would you visit?

Iron age.

15. What is your ideal holiday?

Trekking round Icelandic lava fields.

16. What movie, television, or literary character do you most identify with?

Owen from the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressel.

17. What part of your archaeological tool kit could you not live without?

My penknife. It was given to me by my dad for my 21st birthday and was handmade by him.

18. If you were an animal what would you be?

Rat

19. If you were in a band what would it be called?

Penny Pilferer and the Hazzahrious wenches

20. What question should we have asked you?

How are my knees, elbows and back?