A FATHER from Knutsford witnessed the bombing of Baghdad just yards from his hotel room.

Simon Phillips cowered on his hotel balcony as US aircraft pounded Iraqi positions on the outskirts of the city.

"When the bombs are rattling around you feel safer standing on the balcony seeing where they are going off rather than being in a room where you haven't got a clue what's happening," he said.

Mr Phillips, a producer on Tonight With Trevor McDonald, rang the Knutsford Guardian on Monday afternoon as B52s attacked the Iraqi capital.

As he spoke, bombs could be heard exploding in the distance.

Peace

"There is a saying in broadcasting that we are on the front row of history in the making and my front row seat is about 700 yards across the river," he said.

Mr Phillips, who lives in Albert Street, arrived in Baghdad with veteran correspondent Michael Nicholson and a cameraman about three weeks ago.

They had stocked up on food in Jordan before booking into the Hotel Palestine.

On Monday - just hours before his broadcast was aired on ITV - he told how he had visited a hospital and watched as doctors treated four-year-old Abbas Ali with anti-burn cream.

"Each time doctors applied the cream he let out a high-pitched dreadful scream that echoed through the hospital," he said.

"I watched that as hardened journalists left in tears. My translator turned to me and asked 'Why do they do this?' I tried to explain about alleged weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein's treatment of his own people, but as I looked at Abbas I found the excuses almost impossible to voice.

"My guide told me this little boy was from the residential district not near to any military targets.

"I replied that in this kind of city, where Saddam Hussein has five or six vast residential palaces, residential is never far from presidential. Later that day doctors told me Abbas was unlikely to last the day." Mr Phillips, 34, travelled to Baghdad on a three-lane highway and was joined by dozens of lorries being driven by Iraqis preparing for war.

"It suggested the Iraqis did not have surrender in mind and instead were prepared to dig in and fight," he said.

When he arrived in the city, many people simply wanted to shake his hand while children at a local school spoke of their love for Britain.

"All they had on their mind was the previous day's football results, not war," he said.

"Each boy spoke of Aston Villa, Arsenal and Chelsea and, of course, Manchester United.

"Try and talk to people about Saddam and they may shy away, but start talking to someone about David Beckham and I'll be having a conversation for half an hour."

On Monday Mr Phillips spoke as the black plumes of smoke - seen by millions from the comfort of their living rooms - billowed over the city.

He was aware that the US military were just miles from Baghdad and was preparing for the start of the predicted street battles.

Iraqis are praying the war will soon be over and are trying to live as normally as possible.

Some shops are still open and shortly before speaking to the Guardian, Mr Phillips dined at a local restaurant on humus, olives and chickpeas.

"Whatever your views on Saddam Hussein the people live relatively comfortably in Baghdad," he said.

"They will take some convincing once this war is over and that is when the job really starts."

Yesterday the bombing continued on the southern outskirts of Baghdad as a blinding sandstorm whipped across the city.

This week, though, it was not clear when Mr Phillips would return to his family in Knutsford.

The Pentagon and British military have warned that the campaign could last longer than expected and Mr Phillips was prepared for a long wait.

"The battle for Baghdad hasn't even begun," he said.

"There is every indication that Iraq will fight to the end and when the war is won, it will almost be as big a task to win the peace."