The Sunderland woman who will celebrate the Platinum Jubilee - 13 years after her memorable meeting with the Queen

Lois Chapman was only 13 when she got to meet Her Majesty and the 2009 encounter wasn’t just a passing glimpse either.

Lois was chosen to hand over a posy of flowers at the Stadium Metro station in Sunderland and she even got to exchange a few words with Queen Elizabeth II.

It was such a big day for Lois that she broke down in tears of happiness when it was all over.

She re-lived the occasion she will ‘never forget’ after spotting a Sunderland Echo photo which we shared on social media. It showed the Queen holding the flowers Lois had given her.

Lois, who lived in Pennywell and went to Academy 360 at the time, plans to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in quiet style.

"I will just be spending time with family,” she said.

And she will always have the memories of the day she met the Queen.

Lois, who was allowed to take her mam Denise with her, was led on to the station platform by dignitaries in advance of the Royal visitor’s arrival.

She remembered that she had to wait for Her Majesty’s train to arrive.

“Everyone was cheering and talking among themselves and I was alright at first. As it got closer, I got nervous and shaky and I was thinking ‘this is going to happen’.”

Lois was the last person who was introduced to the Queen and remembered: “She said ‘hello, how are you. Nice to meet you.

"When she left, I started crying with happiness. It was the most surreal experience.

"Now, when I say to people that I have met the Queen, they think I must have been in the crowd but I have spoken to her.”

From when she was 11 years old, Lois had volunteered at Pennywell Youth Project to help children with special needs every Tuesday evening and Saturday morning without fail.

She was so devoted to volunteering that she won a Sunderland Achievers Award in 2009.

And then came the day when youth project manager Gordon Langley got a phone call, asking if he knew of anyone who deserved to meet the Queen.

"He said ‘I know the perfect person and she is standing next to me’,” said Lois.

"I didn’t know what he was talking about at the time and he kept it secret for ages. A couple of weeks before the visit happened, he said: “I have got a surprise for you. You are going to meet the Queen for all the hard work you have done’. I was really shocked.

"I thought I would be standing at the front of a crowd. I didn’t expect to be standing on the platform waiting for her. They told me ‘you are going to hand a posy to her when she gets off the train. It was the best experience I have had.”

Lois, 24, now lives in Grindon and works for Hays Travel in the head office. But she has never forgotten the day she met Her Majesty.

Have you ever got to meet the Queen and what do you remember of the occasion? Tell us more by emailing [email protected]