Hayley Finch's dream trip to meet her hero Gareth Gates started in a miserable traffic jam on the M1 and ended in the casualty department at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

But today the plucky 12-year-old, who suffers from brittle bone disease, said she had the time of her life when she visited the pop star in Sheffield.

Brave Hayley, of Shipley, thought she'd missed out on her dream date when the M1 was closed on Saturday and she arrived too late for her meet and greet session with the chart topper.

But, true to form, Gareth insisted he met up with the girl whom he has been reading about for years in the Telegraph & Argus.

And Hayley got to spend more than an hour with Gareth during a special meeting after the Sheffield Arena concert.

Today mum Carol Finch paid tribute to Gareth and his mum Wendy Gates, who helped organise the treat through the T&A.

"We were so worried when we were stuck in the traffic on the M1 and we knew we would miss the meet and greet, so we rung up Wendy and she just said to get there as soon as we could," explained Mrs Finch.

"When we got there, we found out she had organised VIP passes for the end of the show and Hayley got to sit there for about an hour with Gareth.

"He asked her how she was and told her she was more of a star than him because he had been following her story for years in the T&A. All the family were just so lovely. Gareth is at the top of his career, but he can still make time for others."

After Saturday night's concert, Hayley was so excited she spent all Sunday ringing her friends to tell them about her big day.

But the activities of the night before took their toll when she was climbing out of the bath in the evening. Hayley's brittle bones in her legs gave way and she ended up in casualty. She has now suffered around 200 breaks in her young life.

"I think she had been jumping up and down too much at the concert and that weakened her legs so they just gave way," said Mrs Finch. "But she had a wonderful day and that's the main thing."

And Hayley said it was a day she would never forget.

"It was really, really exciting," she said. "He asked how I was and said that I was more famous than him. It was really cool. I had only been expecting to get his autograph and a picture but it was so, so good."

Hayley was due to see her consultant yesterday, but she will not be letting the accident spoil her birthday later this month.

"We are just so pleased because we were told that she wouldn't make her 13th birthday," said Mrs Finch.