Driving back from a meeting in Salford, I had a dilemma. How best to explain the likely repercussions of the Welsh draft budget to the 5live Breakfast audience. I stopped off at the Cardiff newsroom late at night to print off some material. Within minutes, I was reading the first copy on the disappearance of a little girl.

Her name and picture were already being tweeted, but the first official line was this -
"Dyfed Powys Police is appealing for witnesses following an incident in Machynlleth this evening where a five-year-old child has gone missing. Anyone with more information has been asked to contact the police."

On the Bryn-y-Gog estate, one grandmother told me how all the children there were encouraged to play together on the green spaces. A bike with a pink basket was propped up outside one house - the home of April Jones.

The huge search effort grew by the hour and then by the day. As well as the experts, all of Machynlleth seemed to be taking part, along with people from far and wide - from London, Oldham, Barry. A retired fire-fighter who took part in the 9/11 salvage operation came over from his new home in Ireland to try to help. I saw a group of psychics who wanted to pass on their thoughts to the police.

Market stall-holders packed up early. One explained how he hadn't slept all night, worrying if he was doing the correct thing by coming. Sales dried up in the local sweet shop. Parents felt it didn't seem "right" to treat their children, while one of the town's children was missing.

I interviewed one exhausted search volunteer who said, "Every night my daughter asks me if I've found her. I say, 'No. But maybe someone else has'." He then paused before being able to carry on the interview. And I met another father and daughter. He was spending every day searching the countryside. She, a schoolmate of April, was making pink ribbons in class. She said she was doing so "...for April. And for hope."

That hope was all but extinguished when police confirmed that Mark Bridger had been arrested on suspicion of murder. Yet within a short time, many search volunteers had rallied again, insisting that until anything was certain, they wouldn't give up.

After the first court appearance, came another show of unity. I counted at least 200 lanterns set off from the Bryn-y-Gog estate. The first, released by April's parents Coral and Paul, soared ahead of the rest into the night sky.

Along with my colleagues Ben Bland and Andrew Fletcher, I worked long hours in often appalling weather. The torrential rain played havoc with much of the broadcast equipment, threatening to take us off air.

But our problems were insignificant. We were hopefully passing on useful information. Hundreds of others were out in all weathers searching for a little girl called April. And they still are.

There have been many times this season when the excitement of my job catches up with me and I become like a fractious child the night before Christmas - this is one of those times.

Thirteen races into the Formula One season and we are into the final, fast paced, climax of the year. Seven races in 9 weeks and the second fly-away part of the season starts in the Far East - in Singapore.

This is a race I have watched with fascination since it's inception in 2008. The fastest cars in the world, whizzing around a 5km street circuit lit by over 1,500 lights with a back-drop movie makers would pay millions for - this is the theatre of dreams and I am about to step into it!

So how does one prepare for such a Grand Prix after the likes of Italy and Belgium? With a lot of hard work.

Singapore is physically and mentally one of the toughest races of the season for the drivers. I remember asking our BBC radio 5 Live F1 pundit and former Toro Rosso driver; Jaime Alguersuari the first time we were in a car together travelling to a circuit - which is the toughest race of the year? There was no hesitation as he said it was easily Singapore.

The stifling heat of 30 degrees centigrade, the grueling two hours spent in the car, the 70% humidity and constant threat of torrential rain (not to mention the bright lights and lack of run off area) means that a lot of Formula One drivers finish the race drained, if not completely exhausted.

I remember Jaime telling me he stepped from the car and all he could see was white - his vision had completely gone. This is one seriously fit 21 year old we are talking about as well. This weekend will be a test for each of the 24 drivers and those who are scared of the dark will be punished!

So what are people saying as we go into the 14th race of the season?

Sebastian Vettel: "Singapore is one of the highlights on the calendar, because the atmosphere of a night race is amazing. I also like it because the track is really great to race on - which is partly to do with the fact that we race anticlockwise there."

Nico Rosberg: "I finished second in the race here in 2008 which was a great experience and has given me some really nice memories of this event. It's always seems strange to be driving at night, going to bed at 5am and then waking up in the afternoon but it's surprising how easy it is to adapt."

Romain Grosjean: "Since Hockenheim
I haven't really had the same connection with the car as I had previously. At the start of the season I felt very comfortable and by the time we got to Valencia the sensation I had in the car was just amazing. Whether it's the tyres, the setup or something in my driving style I'm not 100% sure; we need to go through everything and find out."

Jenson Button: "We have strong pace on a range of very different circuits - and, hopefully, we can continue to push that momentum in Singapore next weekend. You need good end-of-straight speed for overtaking into Turn Seven. That's the best opportunity for passing as it also comes at the end of the DRS zone."

Martin Whitmarsh: "It's a showcase event for our sport. And it's a race that perfectly symbolises modern Formula 1: it's a brave departure from tradition that boldly works. It manages to retain all the traditional elements that makes a grand prix so magical, but the fusion of its oriental setting, glittering skyline and demanding high-speed course make it feel more like you're watching a Hollywood movie than an international sport. And that's fantastic."

Regardless what everyone is saying; the facts are clear for all to see. Fernando Alonso is leading the Championship by 37 from Lewis Hamilton and with Kimi Raikkonen in 3rd a point behind, and just one point further behind is Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull, after Vettel's retirement with another Alternator failure and Webber not crossing the finish line, are now just 29 points in front of McLaren in the Constructors championship - with Lotus, then Ferrari still in the hunt.

Thrilling...the end of the 2012 season could be the most amazing we have seen for some time.

However, this weekend will be tinged with a great deal of sadness after the passing of 'The Prof' Sid Watkins - the former FIA medical delegate, and the man responsible for saving more lives in F1 than anyone else, passed away at the age of 84. All those who knew of Sid would have been aware that on the weekend of Ayrton Senna's death he suggested to the World Champion that maybe they should both give up the sport and go fishing instead.

I hope the two of them are looking on from above - enjoying catching up and catching some serious fishes.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone had this to say about the man he brought into the sport to improve safety: "I am pretty sure that he [Sid Watkins] is irreplaceable. You only meet somebody of his caliber once in your lifetime."

"What Sid Watkins did in the way of safety in Formula 1 was incredible. He gave his whole life to that cause, to make sure that it could be as safe as it possibly could be. We all owe him a debt of gratitude for his caring and commitment."

Sid was invited to join F1 in the 1978 season as its official Doctor. It was agreed proper medical facilities were needed at the tracks in order to treat drivers immediately and that helicopters should be introduced in order to get them to specialist facilities as soon as possible.

Ecclestone continued: "Sid carried all of those things through, and many more. After the accidents to Jochen Rindt and then Ronnie Peterson, I suggested that he should have a medical intervention car and that he should take responsibility for taking drivers into medical care."

"We always talked things through and worked together, and he then took care of all the medical things which I knew nothing about."

For someone I only met once, Sid Watkins left a lasting impression on me - for many in the paddock he has done much more - all are eternally grateful and at this point I would like to pay my respects to a man that has done so much for the sport I love and the drivers I watch with fascination and admiration. Rest in Peace.

You can comment in the usual ways - on facebook at Jennie Gow-presenter and on twitter @JennieGow.

By Gordon Farquhar

A glorious summer of sport has finally drawn to a close. Over the last 6 months, the BBC Olympic Podcasts and blogs have charted the progress of British and international athletes at the London 2012 Games.

Like many people, I was inspired by many of the athletes who competed at the Games but none more so than David Weir. The Londoner won an incredible four wins at four events at London 2012 including the T54 marathon in front of an ecstatic crowd on the Mall, 5,000m, 1500m and 800m. He now matches Sarah Storey as Britain's most successful athlete at the Games. Mark Pougatch spoke to him at the Athletes Parade in London.

It's athletes like Oscar Pistorius, Katherine Grainger and David Weir who will inspire the next generation to Olympic and Paralympic greatness. The importance of mentoring young children in sport was highlighted when BBC World Service’s Simon Watts spoke to Mo Farah, the Somali-born runner, who has become one of the heroes of the London 2012 Olympics after winning Gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres for Great Britain.

The London Games certainly wasn’t all about London. Yorkshire was the most successful county at producing Olympians, Wales was the most represented home nation at the Paralympics and Scotland? Well they kindly provided some of the biggest names of the summer in Sir Chris Hoy, Katherine Grainger, Neil Fachie and Andy Murray. Northern Ireland also has a claim to fame as we discovered when Sportsound spoke to gold medal Paralympic sprinters Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop for BBC Ulster.

Despite incredible performances at the London Games, for many athletes this will be the end of their journey. Among those is two-time Olympic gold medallist Victoria Pendleton. She announced her retirement after an emotionally-draining home Games that brought a disqualification in the team sprint, a superb gold in the keirin and a silver medal after defeat to her long-time Australian rival Anna Meares in the sprint. Despite her incredible success, Pendleton spoke about her difficulties dealing with the intense pressure of elite sport, falling in love at work and her personal demons in a very frank interview with Victoria Derbyshire.

US athlete Marlon Shirley, the original blade runner, was the first man to gain the title of "the world's fastest amputee" after he broke the 11 seconds mark for running 100 metres. But Marlon had an exceptionally tough start. His mother was a prostitute leaving him to beg for food on the streets of Las Vegas before he was taken into an orphanage at the age of five. He then lost his foot in accident while in care. He spoke to Lucy Ash on BBC World Service about his extraordinary life and breaking the 11 second mark in the Sydney Games.

Well it seems that everyone in the United Kingdom has been inspired by the London 2012 Games – including Sandi Tosvkig on The News Quiz.

The BBC Olympic Podcast series was presented by BBC 5 Live presenter Eleanor Oldroyd and BBC Olympic Correspondent Gordon Farquhar, and was a Smooth Operations Production.

This year’s Paralympic Games will be the biggest ever, featuring over 4,000 athletes from 160 countries who will compete in 20 sports. What an extraordinary achievement for a movement that started in Buckinghamshire; the idea for a parallel games for disabled people was born at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital, were Dr Ludwig Guttman, a German Jewish refugee encouraged paralysed servicemen to use sport as part of their rehabilitation. In “Sunday” on BBC Radio 4, Dr Guttman’s daughter, Eva Loeffler spoke about her father’s pioneering work and what he would have made of the London Games.

These London Games look set to receive extraordinary coverage - Channel 4 will provide more than 150 hours of coverage while BBC Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 Live Sports Extra will offer comprehensive radio coverage. But some argue that there's one thing which has always hampered the Paralympic Games from truly taking off - the complex and arcane classification categories. They baffle sports journalists, confuse the public at large and often frustrate would be competitors as Ian Macrae discovered for "In Touch" when he spoke to para-dressage rider Nicola Naylor and Baroness Tanni Gray-Thompson.

Well it isn’t just the physical classification of Paralympians that have caused consternation but also the classification of those with intellectual disabilities. At the Sydney Games in 2000, Spain fielded a basketball team who pretended to have learning disabilities and then won the gold medal. When the scandal was uncovered, all athletes with genuine learning disabilities were excluded from future Paralympic Games while the rules were tightened. For the London Paralympics this summer, the exclusion order has finally been lifted. Claudia Hammond investigated the issue for BBC World Service’s “Inside the Paralympics” and heard from Swedish shot putter Jeffrey Ige who has waited years to become a Paralympian.

While the world prepares for the Paralympics, the Olympians are coming to terms with life after the Games including long jump champion Greg Rutherford who spoke to Luke Ashmead for BBC Three Counties about his new hectic life and his plans to become a double Olympian champion in Rio 2016.

When Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt successfully defended his 100m and 200m titles at this year’s Olympics, he declared himself “a living legend," and the across the world fans cheered him on...with the exception of one Welsh comedian - Rhod Gilbert who shared his views with comedian Reginald D Hunter and Richard Bacon at the Edinburgh Festival.

Eleanor Oldroyd is back next Tuesday. The next BBC Olympic 2012 Podcast will be presented by BBC Olympics Correspondent Gordon Farquhar on Friday 24th August.

By Spoony:

It was the opportunity to sit and speak with one of the finest football managers ever. Have I over stated that? I don't think I have. League titles in four countries. In three of the four he has won the league twice, and in the fourth he is still the manager so who knows? One thing for certain, he IS a special one.

I was about to meet somebody I'd watched in many press conferences, almost baiting the media, playing with them, toying with them like a young cat would a ball of wool. Except for José Maria Dos Santos Mourinho Santos it's a science. Everything with Mr Mourinho is a science. Well that's what I thought before meeting him. I was wrong. I have to admit it.

The human side is what really drives him. He cares. It matters. They matter. They? The players. The fans.

"I feel the fans as part of myself, I create internal links with fans," he told me. I'd seen him throw his medals and a blazer into the crowd before but I wasn't aware his respect for them went this far.

I wondered if there would be areas he'd be cagey about addressing. His relationship with Abramovich? Returning to England to manage? And the million dollar question (although I suspect it would be MUCH more than that): would you manage Chelsea again? I was spoilt because he was forthcoming with all three. Although I'm sure there would've been a few crossed words between Roman and himself at some point.

He was and is charming. He is intelligent. An authority on football and without reservation, a formidable adversary. If you should ever find yourself on the other side of the battlefield to him make sure you prepare for every eventuality. He will.

Spoony meets...José Mourinho is on BBC Radio 5 live at 7pm on Monday 20 August. It'll be available as a free download afterwards as part of the 5 live Sport Specials series.