HEARTBROKEN teenager Chantelle Martin had her driving test called off because she arrived three minutes late.

The 17-year-old travel agent got caught in heavy traffic as she tried to get into the DVLA test centre in Rock Avenue, Gillingham. But despite her driving instructor telephoning ahead to explain the problem, the test was cancelled when they finally arrived.

Now Chantelle must wait until October before she can take the test. Her parents had bought her a new car, in anticipation of her success, but now she is unable to drive it.

Chantelle, from Brambletree Cottages, Borstal, said: "I'm really angry and upset. I had been waiting four months for this test. We were just three minutes late, because the traffic was particularly heavy that day. And mine was the last test on the list. It wasn't as if there were other people waiting.”

Rebecca Rees, the AA's spokesman for the South East region, said: "We feel this is very harsh treatment by the test centre, particularly in view of the fact that the instructor had phoned to say they were stuck in traffic.

"Taking your driving test is a particularly stressful occasion, and to have your test cancelled in this way makes it even more so.”

A spokesperson for the DVLA refused to comment, claiming she was prevented from doing so by the Data Protection Act. However, a legal expert said the Act is irrelevant to this case.