A NERVOUS driver who would close her eyes going down the Ridgeway is appearing on a new television show.

Karen McGuinness would sometimes miss the old hairpin bend and go straight down the hill into Bincombe as she got so scared on the old Dorchester Road heading into Weymouth.

But the 39-year-old has rebuilt her confidence on Channel Five’s new programme Dangerous Drivers’ School.

“Before the programme I had a problem with roundabouts, driving in the rain and just driving at all,” she said.

“I would literally close my eyes and hold my breath going down the hill on the Ridgeway and when I got to the bottom I would open them to check I had got there safely.

“I would open one eye now and again.

“And I would often end up down that little road to the left as I was too frightened to go around the corner.”

The Marks and Spencer bra fitter applied to be on the show and said during tests she failed to recognise the national speed limit sign.

The Walpole Street resident passed her test when she was 17 and was a confident driver.

But a friend died in a crash in Bristol in a vehicle she had been due to travel in and Karen’s confidence took a further knock when she took up motorcycling with her husband Gordon and crashed on her first day on her new 125cc motorcycle.

She said: “Instead of changing gears I grabbed the brake and flipped my bike.”

Gordon also had a crash on his motorbike on the Ridgeway and that led to her being so frightened driving there.

But during filming on her course with AA driving instructor Colin Wilkinson in April she regained her confidence Karen said: “It really helped.

“I’m a much more confident driver now and I’m excited about the TV programme being on.”

During filming in April Karen stopped at the new Asda junction.

She said: “The lights went green but nobody moved.”

She does not yet know which parts will be included in the show.

The driving instructor also helped Karen overcome her dislike of having her husband as a backseat driver.

Mr Wilkinson said the most important part of the programme for him was helping Karen become a safer driver.

He said: “It’s amazing and scary to think everyone in the series has a full driving licence.

“But driving is a skill you need to keep polished.

“Hopefully people will see the programme and realise they can get help to sort out their driving.”