Diamond surprise for lucky pensioner
A LUCKY pensioner from Preston got the surprise of her life when she was told she was going to meet her hero Neil Diamond for Christmas, after her husband bid their life-savings on a Children in Need auction to meet the songwriting star. But surprise turned to worry, when Julie Fitzpatrick, 71, realised she didn't have a stitch to wear to her hero's mansion in Malibu.
So when Julie's friends contacted The Trafford Centre for some expert fashion advice, bosses at the 230-store shopping heaven were only too happy to step in - with a spending spree surprise of their own. Said Julie: "I was amazed when my husband Kevin told me that he had spent our life savings on a trip to see our hero Neil - and the first thing I did was tell him to retract the bid! "But when I realised this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip to have dinner with Neil Diamond at his home - and that our savings were going to such a good cause - I thought we should just go with the flow. I cannot imagine what the party is going to be like, or who I might meet there - but as a life-long Neil Diamond fan I can tell you this is the best Christmas present I've ever had. "I was very worried, though, about what to wear. It will be a sunny beachside party at Neil's house, so I need something fairly casual, but suitable for a Malibu mansion!" Generous Gordon McKinnon, director of operations at The Trafford Centre, said: "When we heard how Julie and Kevin had so generously given all their savings to Children in Need, we knew we should reward such generosity with some of our own. "We have the widest selection of party dresses in the region, thousands of shoes and millions of accessories - so we're sure that with our expert help Julie will find the right dress for the occasion." Style consultant Ayesha Edmonson from The Trafford Centre's John Lewis store took Julie around the designer racks, and introduced her to a huge variety of shoes and accessories. Said Aisha: "Looking your best for social occasions at this time of year is vital - and especially so if you are attending a party at Neil Diamond's house! "We gave Julie a whole load of inspiration today, and you can see both she and husband Kevin are over the moon at going on this special trip. We hope she has some souvenir photos to cherish forever." * FOR more details, please call Justin at The Trafford Centre press office - 0161 749 1627/07917 1546 010.
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