A grandmother is gearing up to take her dream machine on to the open road for the very first time - 14 years after falling in love with it.

But for Elsie Turner, it was not love at first sight with a Rolls Royce or a Ferrari but a 328cc, open-top three-wheeler, whose previous owner kept a 14-year-old promise to call her if it ever went up for sale.

Since the white 1960 Berkley finally ended up in Mrs Turner's hands last year, her husband Larry has been fine-tuning it at their Guiseley home.

They now hope to have the sports tourer-style car, whose maximum speed is about 60mph, on the road in time for next summer's Micro Maniacs rally in Harrogate.

Mrs Turner, 58, who works as a voluntary and supply support assistant at Green Meadows Special School, Guiseley, said: "I first saw the Berkley when we took our 1960 Heinkel bubble car to the Low Moor Rally in Bradford in 1986.

"I'd never seen one before but really liked it - it's like a racing car and really caught my eye. I said to the owner, Alan Ellis who lives in Halifax: 'If you ever want to sell it let me know'.

"It's been a bit of a dream to have one ever since and I've often thought 'wait till I get mine'.

"I've seen Alan a couple of times over the years and said 'don't forget' and then last year he rung out of the blue one Sunday night and said: 'I'm selling it, do you still want it?' so I couldn't really say no after waiting all that time.

"I was really surprised and pleased because a lot of people just wouldn't have remembered after all those years.

"It looked very nice and was roadworthy when we got it but we just wanted to put our own stamp on it and hope to have it ready for the Millennium - after all these years it's a long time to have waited but it's well worth it.''

The Turners have been driving micro cars since the 1960s and belong to the Micro Maniacs club, regularly attending its rallies and shows throughout the country.

Mrs Turner said: "Micros are very economical and they are fun although people do think they look a bit odd these days.

"They are a bit different and everyone laughs when they go past but you expect that and just smile back."

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