Only about 15 minutes drive from the centre of Damascus is the suburb of Douma.

The people of Douma were among the first to join the uprising after it started in Syria in March last year and many people there have been killed, including 12 last weekend when, local people say, a funeral was attacked by the army.

But since the beginning of the year the so-called Free Syrian Army, made up mainly of defectors from President Assad's forces, has become established there.

With the help of local activists, Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen managed to get into Douma, which is surrounded by President Assad's forces.

He discovered that the centre of the town is in the hands of the Free Syria Army.

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