FOR many the fun of a supermarket sweep is an opportunity not to be missed - but that was the dilemma which faced the winner of a church’s competition who has swapped Fenland for Rome.

Christine Scotney grew up in Whittlesey but now lives in Italy. She regularly returns to Fenland to visit her mother Nell, a resident at Cedar Courtr.

While she was home earlier this year she entered St Andrew’s Church’s competition to win a trolley dash at the town’s Co-op store - and was picked as the winner. Unfortunately, she had to return to Rome where she works as a teacher.

But thankfully for Mrs Scotney her friend Chris McGowan came to the rescue and completed the trolley dash for her.

Armed with her friend’s shopping list, Mrs McGowan dashed around the aisles of the Co-op for two minutes on Tuesday to gather as many items as she could.

Extra items she gathered will be donated to Fairview Court, a homeless hostel in Peterborough, the church’s charity of the year.

Mrs McGowan, of Hallcroft Road in Whittlesey, said: “Christine told me a few things she wanted like soap and sherry. I managed to get some of the things she asked for.

“But I was mostly there to get items for Fairview Court to make the residents’ Christmas a bit brighter. The church donated its harvest festival goods to the hostel and we visited it on Monday to meet staff and talk to residents.

“I was breathless afterwards. It was much harder to push the trolley fast than I imagined. It was a lot of fun though.”

Mrs McGowan’s bill totalled �152.37 - which is subtracted from the �733 raised by the church through competition ticket sales. The remainder will go towards maintaining the church and church hall.

The Rev Nigel Whitehouse, of St Andrew’s Church, said: “This is proving to be one of our fundraising highlights. Ticket sales always to tend to do pretty well before and during the festival.”