Lynsey de Paul, half of the duo which represented the United Kingdom on home ground at the Eurovision Song Contest 1977, has released a self-defence video, proving that she is a woman in control thirty years after her second place at the contest.

The video, available from the website takingcontrol.tv , is part of an awareness raising programme to help women take control in situations of physical attack. Lynsey explains to femalefirst.co.uk "we want to take it into schools… a lot of women don't have a clue about self-defence ".

A Song for Europe 1977
In the same interview, Lynsey speaks about her experiences of Eurovision, and in particular the disappointment many of the British hopefuls in the 1977 Song for Europe national final felt when, due to a strike at the BBC, the national contest was only broadcast on the radio. "Literally three minutes before we went on air, the cameramen went on strike – and so the competition went out on radio. So all that effort, all those outfits we made, never got seen. And they had spent so much money and time…"

The singer also admits that "the only reason I did Eurovision was I could not get a record deal unless I did", describing a difficult situation of law cases and upset record companies leading up to her participation. "Rock Bottom", originally written for the group The Blue Mink by de Paul and the other half of the 1977 duo, Mike Moran, was heard by Polydor, and Eurovision history was made.

Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran sang "Rock Bottom" at Wembley, and were narrowly beaten into second place by France's Marie Myriam with "L'oiseau et l'enfant".