A couple who have won a shopping trip to New York with theBristol Post spent a day as VIP guests at Cabot Circus.

Gordon and Maureen Pickles were due to jet off from Bristol International Airport on a Continental Airlines flight to the Big Apple this morning.

But first the couple enjoyed a day of treats courtesy of House of Fraser and Brasserie Blanc and Carluccio's restaurants.

Gordon, a retired Rolls-Royce engineer and Maureen, a retired secretary, were collected from their South Gloucestershire home and taken to House of Fraser where they were shown round the flagship store before being presented with vouchers to spend £200.

Then, while Maureen had a facial at the Redchat Aveda Spa, Graham had a salmon bagel breakfast in the department store's Zest Bistro.

The couple, who are both 61, met in 1970 at Rolls-Royce, where they both worked, and married three years later.

They were chosen for the New York trip after they described in their entry form how they had never had a honeymoon, ploughing all their money instead into their first home.

The weekend in New York will also give them the chance to finally meet their son David's pen friend and his parents, after 23 years of correspondence.

Graham said: "We had a Christmas card from Stephen and Rita Altman whose son, Jason, became friends with our son through the Post's Pillar Box Club.

"We've kept in touch with them down the years and they have often said: 'When are you coming over? Only a day or so after we got their card, Mo saw the competition in the Bristol Post and we thought we must do this.

"When we got married, we put all our money into our house and thought we would worry about the honeymoon later – which never happened. We've been married 35 years now, so it's due!"

Maureen said she was so excited she had hardly slept or eaten since learning she and her husband were going to New York with $450 (£294) spending money.

She said after her facial: "It's lovely to be spoiled. My face was massaged with creams and potions and my hands and arms were massaged.

"Last week, I won a Christmas pudding and I was thrilled with that – we are on a roll now."

Champagne and a two-course lunch at Brasserie Blanc followed, which Graham said was "like being in France".

The couple then returned to House of Fraser where, with the help of the store's personal shopper, they spent their vouchers on a pair of Kurt Geiger boots, black velvet evening trousers and a mauve silk blouse for Maureen and a Hawes and Curtis shirt and tie and a pair of Gants trousers for Graham.

As they headed off for a three-course dinner at Carluccio's restaurant in Quakers Friars, Maureen said: "It's been like a dream."

And it is about to continue with a dream trip to New York.