It began simply as an opportunity to see something that had once belonged to their hero.

But when two Elton fans went to look at a car which the singer had once owned and which was up for auction, they could not resist the spending impulse for which the star himself is renowned. Donna Fairweather, of Drayton, and Jan Rust, from Hellesdon, had gone along to the classic car auction having read in the EDP that Elton’s Mercedes Benz S600L was up for sale.

As devoted followers of the singer, the 55-year-olds had no intention of bidding, but just wanted to have a look at the vehicle. But the pair – who have seen the singer more than a dozen times between them – left the sale £9,000 lighter, having been unable to resist the temptation of getting involved in the bidding. They outbid a handful of other interested parties to get their hands on the ultimate collector’s item.

Miss Rust said: “We never dreamt we would actually buy it. We simply went along to have look.” Mrs Fairweather added: “As soon as they brought the car out we knew we just had to have it. Something like this is a one-off.”

The vehicle, which comes fully equipped with heated seats, television screens and a refrigerator, has been attracting attention from friends, family and neighbours alike. Miss Rust said: “Everybody wants to look at it and ride in it; it’s created a great deal of fascination.”

The car’s new co-owners now intend to share their lavish purchase with others, making plans for the vehicle to be used for functions such as weddings and civil partnerships in the future. Mrs Fairweather said: “Something like this doesn’t come along every day. How often do you see something that once belonged to somebody so famous in this region? Elton is such a talented musician and it’s amazing that I now get to sit in a seat he has sat in. Sadly, I’ve never been lucky enough to meet him in person.”

The sale, on October 3, took place at the East Anglian Motor Auctions, in Wymondham.

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