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Juggernaut birthday for Fay – 58

Tom Rowley
30/ 7/2008

FAY LEIGH achieved a longstanding driving ambition on her birthday.

She had always wanted to drive an articulated lorry and husband Ken granted her wish as a surprise present with a difference on her 58th birthday.

Fay, of Rydal Avenue, Droylsden, got to drive a Volvo F10 complete with 46ft long trailer and proved she has what it takes to be a trucker at a HGV driver training centre.

With an instructor alongside her, Fay managed to turn around the vehicle in a space 50ft wide at the first attempt and successfully reverse it in a straight line.

Fay, who passed her driving test more than 30 years ago and usually drives a Volkswagen Golf, said: "I don’t know why but I’ve always wanted to drive an articulated lorry.

"I didn’t get it from my dad; he never even had a licence!

"It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do.

"We stayed for an hour-and-a-half and could have stayed longer but I felt enough was enough as my foot was starting to swell up.

"I really enjoyed it.

" The instructor said he’d be quite happy to take me out on the road if I’d had my provisional HGV licence.

"It was the best birthday present I’ve ever had."

She added: "It was a complete surprise.

"Everybody knew about it — my seven grandchildren and the neighbours knew about it; the only one who didn’t was me!"

Garry Whitworth, commercial manager at the Manchester Training Centre in Middleton, said: "For her first attempt she was absolutely wonderful — a lot of people are frightened to death!

"Although we are a training centre, we also like to think of ourselves as a community service, so when people like Ken phone us we are quite happy to help."

Ken, 63, who used to drive Manchester City Council mini-buses for special needs children, added: "I knew it was something Fay had always wanted to do since as long as we’ve been married and that’s been 36 years last May.

"I thought it would be a nice treat for her and it couldn’t have worked out better that the centre arranged it for the 25th, which is her birthday."

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