People often search for the perfect personal birthday present to show a loved one they care. Sadie Taylor received her ultimate birthday gift when she turned seventeen.

She explains that the day started off as an anti-climax when her father handed her a birthday card and an unwrapped pair of denims. Feeling a little glum she nevertheless got dressed for the day.

Sadie recalls, “I went downstairs a little later, all groomed and ready to go out. When I went into the kitchen, my dad said that my brother, Joe, had got me a present. Joe gave me a small box, which I opened to find a Mini keying. Jokingly, I said to my dad that all I needed now were the keys to go with it. At that point he reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. By this time my heart was racing and I had butterflies in my stomach!”

When Sadie’s father took her out to the garage, she found her dream car, a black Mini Cooper. However the icing on the cake was the personalised number plate, SAD 11E. Sadie was so delighted, all she could say was, “ It has my name on it!”

Even now Sadie still gets excited about her registration, “Me with a black Mini Cooper was my dream come true. At only 5′ 1”, a Mini fits me perfectly and I became the envy of all my friends. Now, after about a year of owning my ‘baby’ and my number plate, I still get a rush each time I put my seatbelt on. And I don’t know how but everyone knows my name!”