Driving on the motorway can be a daunting prospect for any inexperienced motorist.

But for Maidstone grandmother Anne Chapman, it is something she has shied away from since gaining her licence more than 35 years ago – often resulting in long diversions on journeys.

Upon reaching the milestone age of 60 last year, she vowed to conquer her fear as part of a list of 60 challenges she set herself to complete before her next birthday, which she celebrated on Wednesday.

Mrs Chapman said: “To say I have a phobia about motorways is an understatement.

“I have always gone to great lengths to avoid driving on them, taking a much longer route to get to my destination than is necessary.

“But I vowed that I would develop the confidence to drive on motorways.”

Mrs Chapman built up her confidence in short stints on the M20, M26 and M2, joining for just a junction at first and then longer distances.

But while she has recently ventured alone as far as Bluewater from her home in Sutton Valence, she says the thought of busier roads such as the M25 still fills her with dread, adding: “On occasions, I have been paralysed with fear especially when lorries thunder past me and I have struggled to remain calm.

“This has been a long and hair-raising episode of my 60 things to do at 60 but I have achieved what I set out to achieve so, in my book, that’s an achievement.”

Mrs Chapman, a former legal secretary, set herself the unusual list of challenges to show that you are never too old to learn new things.

Some tasks were on the adventurous side – like speed- boating along the Thames, abseiling and hurtling along a zipwire – whereas others were things she had forgotten how to do, like climbing a tree and diving into a swimming pool.

She has also been on a submarine, gone stargazing, handled a snake, completed a 5k run and had her photograph taken with a celebrity, - after a chance meeting with former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis.

In her 60th year she has also seen the birth of another grandchild. –- something she said was on her list even though she had little hope of it coming true.

Follow Anne’s adventures on Facebook or via Twitter at using the hashtag #60thingsat60.