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Charity champs meet Dolly Parton
TWO veteran South Tyneside charity champs got their perfect Christmas present when they were flown to the US to meet country music legend Dolly Parton.
Olive Cook, 71, and Margaret Lawson, 83, who have together raised 1m for a children's charity, were whisked off to the world's country music capital – Nashville, Tennessee – thanks to TV's Noel Edmonds.
Their trip of a lifetime will be shown on Noel's Christmas Presents, on Sky1, at 6.30pm tomorrow.
The inspirational fundraising duo, who love country music, have raised cash for the charity Children North East for more than 30 years, often dressing up in line dancing gear and rattling their collection boxes as they join revellers in Newcastle's Bigg Market.
Mrs Cook, of Hedgeley Road, and Mrs Lawson, of Bede Walk, both Hebburn, described their festive TV trip as "brilliant".
Mrs Cook said: "The trip to Nashville was wonderful and it was great to see the sights and see some of the big country stars.
"But the best bit was meeting Dolly Parton. We didn't know anything about it until they were filming us and Dolly suddenly appeared from behind a curtain, saying 'Hello, girls!'.
Dolly was really lovely and the producer said it was the first time we had been quiet – because Dolly did all the talking.
"We had our picture taken with Dolly, who presented Margaret and I with two lovely gold bracelets from Tennessee."
Both women were also given computer equipment for Children North East, Newcastle, which they have supported for decades.
They also enjoyed top entertainment at a country music awards show in Nashville.
One of Mrs Cook's family wrote to Noel Edmonds to nominate the two Hebburn grandmothers for a special festive treat.
The elderly fundraisers are popular figures in Newcastle city centre, where they often mix with young people as they brave all weathers to collect money for underprivileged children.
Their trip to the US will also be shown on Sky1 at 3pm on Christmas Day.
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Weather for South Shields
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
