AT almost 100 years old you might expect a pair of comfy slippers and a good book would go down as the favoured birthday gifts.

Not so however for Dora Southam from Mumby who at the age of 96 became the oldest person to drive a car around the test circuit at Mercedes-Benz World, on the site of the former Brooklands race circuit, in Surrey last week.

For her birthday, Dora's grandson and editor of What Car magazine, Steve Fowler, gave her the experience of a lifetime - to drive a Mercedes A-Class around the world famous track.

Dora's achievement is made all the more amazing given that 10 years ago she was registered blind and has only peripheral vision, something that the bespoke experience was able to take account of.

For the full story see this week's East Coast Target - available now.