From the moment she discovered the astronomy section in Werrington Library, the youngster began doing everything she could to fulfill her ambition of becoming an astronaut.

Since that fateful day, Tracey has devoted her life to studying astrophysics and even contemplated applying to become a US citizen in her bid to turn her space-travel dream into a reality.

Now, 17 years on, she has applied to the European Space Agency (ESA) to become Britain's first astronaut with the agency.

She said: "It would be just fulfilling my dream. I discovered the astronomy section and was amazed. I would read about space camp and when I found out it was a real place, I was thrilled."

Earlier this year, the ESA said it was looking for people to be the next generation of astronauts for the continent. Although the closing date for applications is later this month, the eventual spacemen and women will not be chosen for about a year, while extensive tests and training take place

Since her initial discovery, Tracey has journeyed to space camp in Alabama twice, as well as getting on with her extensive studies as she pursued her ambition.

She even looked into moving across the Atlantic in a bid to improve her chances of getting into NASA.

Tracey said: "I've had this thing in my grasp for so long. I was prepared to give everything up to achieve it, even going to live in another country so I could get the chance to become an astronaut. Then it lands on your doorstep, it's just fantastic. It would literally be out of this world."

The former Peterborough High School and King's School pupil now works as an outreach officer for the Physics and Astronomy Department at Leicester University.

But she still comes back to see her friends and family in the city most weekends and recently maried her husband Robert at the cathedral.

And it came as no surprise to her childhood pals that she her dream of heading into space still burned strongly.

She added: "When I signed up to Facebook all my friends asked 'do you still want to be an astronaut?'. It's all I've ever wanted to do.

"I remember having a mock interview when I was going my GCSEs at King's, and I told them I wanted to be an astronaut. I wowed them with all the knowledge I had and how committed I was. Nobody has ever put me down or laughed at me. I think they just thought I was crazy."