"I also remember that I lent him a book on SAS survival... it had things like how to survive in the outdoors for long periods of time, " he said.

BBC: April Jones in the leisure centre

Above all though, perhaps David Cameron's calculation was that his defiant Downing Street news conference would make him look like a leader at a time when his own party has been questioning how long he should carry on in the job.

BBC: Press law - So why did he do it?

It's almost - interestingly enough, it's actually - there's a little bit more optimism on the trail than there was a few months ago in July and August when he really bottomed out and looked like - you know, a lot of people are wondering back here in Arizona how long he was keeping to stay in the race.

NPR: McCain Keeps Home Fires Burning

He said factors like whether a woman breastfeeds, the type of labour she has and how long it takes her to become active again afterwards all play a part.

BBC: NEWS | Health | 'Lingering pregnancy fat' danger

Each piece then gets hand trimmed or pinched into shape, he says, showing how a thin tube of clay will be shaped into candelabra that looks like a long, thin piece of coral.

WSJ: Lily Pads and Bamboo Stalks, Made of Clay