Over at the Essex Chronicle, the newsdesk decided to give reporter Kate Eshmade a job she’d never forget.

She arrived at the newspaper office, thinking it was a day like any other, but her heart sank when she was told she was being sent to review a new ‘advanced driving course’ in nearby Springfield.

You see, for Kate driving is no fun – it’s a blooming nightmare. She is the first to admit that she’s a terrible driver and her lack of confidence behind the steering wheel had become legendary in the newsroom.

So when the newsdesk decided they were going to assign a reporter to cover the new course, Kate was the obvious choice – as well as the candidate with the most comedy value!

The course included four evening lectures, a trip out in a police car and a morning of action on a skidpan.

For Kate, the ‘skidpan’ held the most terror.

She said: “I wasn’t exactly looking forward to going on it. It was really scary and it had been raining so that made it worse!”

Yet after much skidding and sliding, Kate admits she felt a bit better.

She said: “It was quite good fun really. I ended up feeling a lot more confident about my ability to cope in a crisis.”

Now the course has finished, it’s back to the newsroom for Miss Eshmade. She should watch out though. If a new motor-racing track opens in Essex, guess who the Chronicle is going to send down to test it!

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