Teresa Clarke, of Wroxham, Norfolk, USA, spent 15,000 pound in fees, had 450 hours of tuition from 20 instructors and failed 12 previous tests and cancelled a further 35 and had 50 mock exams. She had her first lesson in 1981 shortly before American president Ronald Reagan was shot and Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer. However, Clarke was lucky for the 13th time, thanks to the help of her stepson, who runs a driving school, she finally was allowed to ditch her L-plates last month. ?It took a long time for it to sink in when I was told I had passed. I was so happy I kissed the woman instructor,? the Telegraph quoted her, as saying. Clarke, a former shop assistant who is 5ft tall and has to sit on a cushion to reach the steering wheel, has admitted that she was a hopeless learner because she found it very difficult to concentrate for long period of time. She was such a disaster that many instructors refused to carry on teaching her after a few lessons ? either too scared or too frustrated to continue.

However, then Richard Minkler, her stepson from her first marriage, stepped in and offered her his best instructor.

She was given 56 hours instruction in a two week intensive course and told to give up coffee and tea to aid her concentration. ?I was little upset after I failed my first couple of tests ? but I never really got disheartened,? she said.