A Beetle enthusiast from Wombwell has had a teenage dream come true by having his souped-up car featured on the cover of a Volkswagen magazine.

Julian Roberts, who grew up on Barlborough Road, had his 1962 duck egg rally-style Beetle featured in the July edition of VolksWorld - although he said he had no idea it would make the front page.

He said: "It's a real honour, I've been reading VolksWorld since the late 1980s and I always had a dream that I might have a car in it one day.

"When the magazine came through the door and I noticed it was on the cover I just stood staring at it for about 30 seconds because I couldn't believe it."

Julian, 42, first got into Beetles through flatmates when he was a student at Blackpool and the car featured in the magazine is the second one he has owned.

Although a 'Cal-look' Beetle, Julian transformed it on a budget into a rally-style Bug with large spotlights, headlight guards and magnetic number boards on the doors.

It was spotted by a reporter for the magazine at a Beetle enthusiasts' meeting, who left a note on the car's windscreen.

Julian left Wombwell in the 1990s after getting for a broadcasting job with Sky. He now lives in Holmer Green, near High Wycombe, with wife Elaine and daughter Rose.