A STARSTRUCK Stretford teenager met pop princess Katy Perry after the store where her mum works achieved record sales of the superstar’s perfume.
Tricia Kenny, mum-of-four, has worked at Wilkinson in Stretford Mall for 11 years and helped sell the popular pop star’s fragrance called Purr.
Sales were so successful at the Stretford Mall that the company gave two concert tickets with backstage passes to raffle among the staff as a congratulatory gift.
Tricia’s name was picked out of the hat and she immediately snapped the gold dust tickets up with her 14-year-old daughter Rebecca Clark in mind.
Tricia, 44, said; “Rebecca knew about the tickets and had said to me how much she wished I would get picked so when I rung her and told her, she was over the moon and beside herself with excitement.”
The pair travelled to Nottingham for the California Dreams Tour to enjoy the concert and meet the global singing star.
Tricia said: “The concert was absolutely amazing and our seats were right at the front. If Katy Perry had lent over, she could have touched us we were that close to the stage.
“What was lovely is that when we went backstage to meet her, she recognised us and told us exactly where we had been sitting.
“I can honestly say she was absolutely lovely and I thought we would be in and out like a flash but she took the time to talk to both of us and Rebecca was a bit spellbound!”
Rebecca said she was very nervous before meeting Katy Perry but this was soon overtaken with awe when they entered the room where the global star was waiting with a large purple cat for company. The room was adorned with sweets for the guests to help themselves to.
Rebecca said: “I had a big lollypop with Katy Perry on it and the whole atmosphere of the room we were in just added to the excitement of meeting her.
“She was so nice and happy and a really lovely person. She was not stuck up at all and she was exactly how I expected her to be which was a bit of a relief!”
Rebecca, a Lostock College pupil whose favourite Katy Perry track is Teenage Dream, added: “That’s why I really like her because she always comes across as someone who has lots of fun and doesn’t take herself too seriously and that is how she is in real life too.
“I think she is an excellent role model for someone my age.”
The pair had their photo taken with Katy and her cat to ensure they have a treasured record of their encounter with the singer who is known for chart hits such as Firework and I Kissed a Girl.
Both Rebecca and her mum are fans of the perfume which has proved a big hit with Stretford Mall shoppers.
Mark Corlett, manager of Stretford Mall’s Wilkinson said: “We are a busy store here and perfume is one of our best sellers.
“I was delighted when head office got in touch to say we had been the best performing store on Katy Perry perfume in the whole of the UK and this reflects the fact we have a very hard working team and have some very loyal shoppers who come to us because they know they get good quality and good value.
“It was terrific that the tickets went to such a good home and I know Tricia and Rebecca really enjoyed the once in a lifetime experience.”