JEAN Shaw was 44-years-old when she had her first driving lesson. Now, six years and 15 driving tests later, she can finally tear up her L-plates.

In what must be one of the country's most determined efforts to pass a driving test ever, Jean sat her driving test a dispiriting 14 times, until she passed this week on her fifteenth attempt.

When the mother-of-three announced she was going to pass her driving test before she was 50-years-old, nobody realised just how determined she was.

But as Jean, from Chester-le-Street, celebrated her 50th birthday yesterday she proved she was true to her word.

Jean, who works at the town's Queen's Head pub, said: "I used to get so disheartened because the odd person would say, 'don't you think you should leave it?' and I just said, 'no, I can do this.'

"I never gave up hope, but I had decided this test was the last one because it was so distressing when I failed. It was always something silly that I failed on."

Jean had to fork out nearly £600 over the years to take her driving tests in Durham.

Her next aim is to save up for a car, ideally a banana-yellow Peugeot.

In the meantime, she aims to practice by driving her daughter's car to London.

She said: "I'm going to drive half way down to London and my husband is terrified. But he's over the moon that I've passed. I think he's a bit shell-shocked."

Lisa Smith, manager at the British School of Motoring in Durham, which put Jean through her last nine tests, said she had been a capable and competent driver from the outset but exam nerves would get the better of her.

"She knew she could do it and had the ability and we knew she could do it. In the end it was sheer determination. Jean's a very determined lady and we were very determined to get her through."