A TEENAGER who walked England out at Euro 2016 had “the time of her life” after winning a national competition.

Laura Fairey, from Benfleet, was one of two lucky winners to lead her nation out at their final Group B match against Slovakia, having won a competition run by Kia Motors and The Sun newspaper.

The 11-year-old carried the match ball out at St-Etienne’s Stade Geoffrey-Guichard Stadium last Monday alongside Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo before lining up with the teams for the national anthems.

And mum Toni, who had to describe West Ham youngster Laura’s football journey to win the competition, said it was an experience they would never forget.

“St Etienne is beautiful,” she said. “Before we went to the stadium, the chaperone, driver and events co-ordinator showed us around. To experience the English fans at the fan zones was great as well, it was such a happy atmosphere and that was brilliant to see.

“When Laura was in the tunnel beforehand she was watching the players but didn’t say anything because she was shy. She had butterflies and her hands were shaking when she was holding the ball.

“She likes Joe Hart and Gary Cahill and she said Hart was quite vocal and could hear him booming out the national anthem from where she was standing! She had the time of her life."

Toni said Laura, who attends Jotmans Hall Primary School, joined her in the UEFA VIP lounge to watch the match, and said the only thing missing from the experience was an England win as they drew 0-0 to finish runners-up to Wales.

“The VIP lounge was something else,” she said. “There was free food and drink and people were showing off their football skills and there were dancers too. So much was going on.

“The result was the only thing missing. I kept saying ‘at least they didn’t lose’ but the fans were right next to us and they were so loud. It would have been nice to score.”

Laura arrived home last Wednesday, heading straight off on a school residential trip from Gatwick airport, and her mum said she was so pleased to win the experience after what has been a turbulent couple of years.

Last May, Laura was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter Disease (a painful condition which affects the upper part of the shin bone) and had to undergo months of physiotherapy in a bid to return to the game.

But she is now back on the pitch, and Toni said she was so pleased Laura was able to savour the atmosphere at Euro 2016, admitting it is still a surreal feeling.

“You enter these things and never think you will win so it took more than a couple of days for it to sink in,” she said. “It was done through Facebook and when I got the message I woke Laura up as I found out late on a Friday. She was running around the room with excitement!

“It was a great experience and we are very grateful.”