A 92-year-old care home resident was taken on a spin in a rally car as she relived her days as a racing driver.

Gaynor Atkinson, a former rally driver, took a trip around Holt in a Ford Escort rally car.

The trip was organised by staff at King's Court Care Home, after Mrs Atkinson revealed she used to compete in rallies around the UK in her early 20s.

She had driven her brother Barry’s open-top MG TF.

King’s Court activities coordinator Emily Parden thought it would be a great idea to surprise Mrs Atkinson with a visit by a rally car and retired motor dealer Steve Tilburn, from the King’s Lynn Motor Club, kindly obliged by bringing along his classic Ford Escort MK2.

Norfolk care home resident takes trip around Holt in rally car Steve Tilburn supplied the car (Image: Submitted) The great-grandmother said: “Back then, there were no seatbelts and we wore head scarves rather than crash helmets.

"We wanted to look glamorous as the only women competing against all the men.

"That was the attraction of it."

Great-grandmother and former rally driver, 92, takes spin in rally car Gaynor Atkinson with her mementos as a rally driver (Image: Submitted) Mrs Atkinson, the daughter of prominent Leicester coal merchant William Hurcock, stopped rally driving at the age of 24 when her first husband thought it was too dangerous after an incident when she went up and down a bank.

A framed newspaper cutting from the Leicester Mercury that takes pride of place in her room alongside a silver cup are evidence of the time she and her navigator, best friend and future sister-in-law Barbara Winram, took on all the men and beat them in a Midlands rally.

Thanking Mr Tilburn for an amazing experience, she said she did not want her adventures to stop.

"Perhaps I can do hang-gliding next time," she joked.

Mr Tilburn said it had been a pleasure to arrange the surprise trip; their club is planning to return to King’s Court next year for a classic car display.