I LEFT prison on parole in May 2002. I had been away for over two years and came out to live in a hostel in Stratford, east London.

I was soon feeling isolated and under pressure and ended up relapsing back into drugs, which got me into prison in the first place!

One Saturday I walked into Stratford and was confronted by a colourful coach! I thought at the time I was doing a good job of ignoring it. I was handed a paper which I took but refused to read.

On my return journey, the coach was still there. I don't know why I stopped but I hung around thinking "well come on then, Christians, help me if you can". I must have looked angry but eventually a man came out.

Now, I was expecting a "woolly" Christian, but Jesus saw that I got a guy called Bryan.

"Are you okay?" he said, and as I tried to say "yes", it came out as "no!!"

The next thing I'm clear about is being on the coach in tears, telling these strangers what a sinner I'd been – and that things got a lot better after that. I started going to church meetings and made new friends I could confide in.

I spent a weekend at a Jesus Festival. I felt like there was a battle going on inside me, which of course there was! The first thing that happened when I went inside that marquee was that I was struck by the strongest emotion. I cried but it was of relief and joy.

That evening I watched baptisms taking place and that's when it happened. Right out of the blue I was on a high and my heart was racing – I had received the Holy Spirit. I came out of that tent not being able to walk properly!

A few weeks ago, I found out that my parole licence had been revoked for moving house without getting proper permission – but before I went back inside I got baptised. I'm finding my feet and learning to walk with God. Things are still up and down but when I fall now I get up again.

I've had to hand myself back into prison, which was not easy, but on the way up here on the train I opened by Bible and there was Psalm 107, v1-16, a personal message to me in a dark time.

I don't know exactly when I will be back out but good things are happening in here and there are a lot of open hearts. I've had the chance to share my testimony in here, and although I'm behind walls, I've never felt so free!

Jamie HMP Norwich