THEY are a growing force in a male-dominated profession. And their club - run by Fenland’s ‘Mothertrucker’ - is the subject of a TV show next week.

Mothertruckers will meet some queens of the road who are members of Lady Truck Drivers UK, which was formed two years ago by the owner of a Fenland LGV training firm.

Wendy Priestley runs Priestley LGV, based at Sutton St James, and started the club because there was no support group for female drivers. She teamed up with retired trucker Elizabeth Waters and Lady Truck Drivers UK was born.

Mrs Priestley, who is nicknamed the Mothertrucker by her colleagues, said: “I had a phone call out of the blue from Orion TV, telling me it wanted to put the group on the TV. I had received similar calls in the past that have never come to anything so I didn’t expect much.

“But this call was from the producer - and the rest is history.”

There are more than half a million lorry drivers in the UK but just two per cent of them are female - and recent figures suggest that the UK truck driver shortage is about to reach crisis point.

Mothertruckers meets some of the women - all members of the club - who have bucked the trend and joined the industry.

Mrs Priestley said: “We had a whale of a time filming and would love it to develop into a series.”

The club attracted more than 60 members nationwide in its first 12 months and has continued to grow since. The International Lady Truck Drivers Association has also been launched and has members from Spain, Italy and Slovenia.

Mrs Priestley said: “We are not trying to out-do the men and we are not looking for equality because we already have it in the trucking world.

“If they want to dress in rigger boots that’s fine. If they don’t want to be seen out without their Chanel No.5 that’s fine too.

“Nobody gets excited over male nurses so why should they think differently about lady truck drivers?”

• Mothertruckers airs on Thursday February 9 on Channel 4 at 10pm.