Robbie Williams fans Jemma Adams and Jody Salmon's dreams came true when they were invited for tea with their idol.

The friends, who live in Mill Lane, South Chailey, near Lewes, won the opportunity to meet the singer after Jemma entered a competition in a national newspaper.

The 17-year-old, who is a student at Sussex Downs College in Lewes, said: "I have never entered anything before so I was amazed to get a phone call telling me I had won."

Jemma decided to invite Jody, also a 17-year-old student at the college, to accompany her on the trip.

She said: "We went up to London to this really posh hotel called the Lanesborough near the Royal Albert Hall and we had sandwiches and scones and tea. There were about 15 or 20 of us there in all.

"Then Robbie suddenly appeared in the room and it all went mad.

"I was nearly crying and I was shaking like a leaf when he did come out. He came and spoke to us all individually and he was really, really sweet."

Jemma and Jody chatted to the star about music and asked him if he remembered paying a visit to a pub near their homes.

Jemma said: "Once he went to the King's Head in North Chailey with television presenter Jamie Theakston and Nicole Appleton, who was his then girlfriend. I asked him about it and he remembered the pub so we talked about that for a while.

"It all happened so quickly it is a bit of a blur. It was a little bit weird.

"I am a bit of an obsessed fan and have lots of Robbie Williams posters in my bedroom so it was amazing to meet the real person. It is something I will never forget."

The girls attended the VIP premiere of a documentary about the singer. The prize also included a free hotel stay.

The competition was organised by WH Smith to promote the launch of Robbie's book Somebody Someday.