Yvonne Ridley, the Sunday Express reporter held by the Taliban for ten days, was released to the Pakistani authorities last night.

Claiming that she had been treated with "courtesy and respect" by the Taliban, Ridley revealed she had gone on hunger strike when she was refused access to a phone. Ridley added that she was "desperate" to get home to see her nine year old daughter, whose birthday she missed while in captivity.

In his address to the Commons last night, Tony Blair highlighted the "tireless work" by the British High Commission in Pakistan, the Foreign Office and the Pakistani government in securing Ridley's freedom.