IT WAS life in the fast lane for Terri Calvesbert when she got a day out at Brands Hatch.The seven-year-old schoolgirl visited the track as part of a fundraising event which raised £350 towards the Terri Calvesbert Appeal.

IT WAS life in the fast lane for Terri Calvesbert when she got a day out at Brands Hatch.

The seven-year-old schoolgirl visited the track as part of a fundraising event which raised £350 towards the Terri Calvesbert Appeal.

The appeal was set up in 1998, just days after Terri suffered nearly 90 per cent burns in a house fire in her home.

Since then she has undergone numerous operations and caught the eye of a nation following the Anglia TV programme, Real Life: Being Terri.

It was this programme which spurred student Sian Armstrong and her boyfriend Marc Orme from the ELF Renault Hill House Hammond Clio Cup, into action.

Sian, who is studying journalism at the University of Lancashire in Preston, set up a competition for one lucky person to be driven several laps around Brands Hatch by Boulevard Team Racing, who entered into the cup.

All entrants for the competition had to do was donate more than £2 to Terri's appeal and their names would be drawn from a hat.

Diane Collins from Shepshed in Leicestershire was the lucky winner and strapped herself in for the ride of a lifetime, driven by the 2003 Winter Cup Champion Paul Rivett.

She said: "It's been an absolutely fantastic experience and is something I'll always remember.

"I want to say a huge thankyou to the team for making the day possible and it was wonderful to meet Terri and her family.

"She's such a special little girl and is so brave – I hope the money raised through this initiative will be useful for her."

Terri's dad Paul, who was also given a quick spin around the track, said: "It was a superb day and we had a really wonderful time.

"Terri enjoyed herself so much and I just want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.

"We can't believe how generous everyone has been in organising this initiative and we want everybody to know how grateful we are."

n. Donations should be made out to the Terri Calvesbert Appeal and sent c/o Geraldine Thompson, Editor's secretary, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.