lovingly-restored 1961 classic Austin Cambridge.

Ms Davis -- who has owned the powder blue beauty since 1961 -- got her car back after British Airways flew it home from a classic car restorer in the UK at the weekend.

And she said yesterday: "It's beautiful -- it looks an awful lot better. It's fabulous. Just like new.'' Ms Davis got the car virtually new in 1961 and it was the first car her family ever owned.

But she admitted that, by 1996, the car was on its last legs and was facing its final trip -- to the dump.

Ms Davis, however, added: "I drove the car nearly every day up until then -- but I realised before that it needed a lot of work done.

"I liked the car -- it was the first my family ever owned -- and so did everyone else.

"They all said `don't have it cut, if you get a new one, let me have it' -- but I couldn't see it being fixed up and put on the road by anyone else.'' Ms Davis, through friends she made when she trained and worked in England, got in touch with a car restorer in Exeter via an Austin owners club and sent it off to England to be rebuilt from the tyres up in 1996.

And the garage was so proud of the finished job, they exhibited it in a classic car show and the Austin was featured in specialist UK auto magazines.

She was unable to say how much the restoration cost in total -- but admitted it was a lot more than the original cost of around 900.

Ms Davis added: "It cost a few thousand pounds -- certainly much more than than it cost originally.

"It took a lot longer than I expected. But it was completely `I drove a car with power steering -- it certainly felt a bit strange when I got back into my own car to drive it again. But I wouldn't change it.' taken down to basics.

"I saw some pictures of the restoration and the only thing left inside it is the steering wheel. Everything else is restored.

"I almost cried when I saw the pictures of it stripped down -- it looked so awful. But it's been worth the wait.'' Ms Davis added the car was totally revamped -- including a reconditioned engine and chromework -- and a fresh coat of paint to the original factory specification.

And the restorer refitted the car with an original-style fabric sunroof, taken out in the 1960s and replaced with a hard top.

Ms Davis said: "There were a few of these models on the Island and there is still one around. But there were only two which had a sunroof, mine and a taxi, which has long ago been scrapped.'' And the new look old car has already turned heads, with BA staff turning out in force to watch its arrival.

Ms Davis added: "When I left the Airport, everybody was clapping -- and when I took it down to TCD, there was quite a crowd looking at it.'' She said she had the opportunity to drive a modern car in her own vehicle's absence -- but insisted she wouldn't trade her Austin for even the most up-to-date automobile.

"I drove a car with power steering -- it certainly felt a bit strange when I got back into my own car to drive it again. But I wouldn't change it.''