A WOMAN who bore a startling resemblance to legendary actress and singer Doris Day actually got to meet her in Hollywood.

Jan Stanford, 75, from Peacehaven, was a finalist in a competition to find a Doris Day lookalike.

The contest, which took place in 1965, was run by a newspaper and film studio 20th Century Fox, to promote an upcoming film Doris was in.

The winner would get the chance to be in the movie.

Jan said the competition was a lot of fun and although she was a runner-up she loved every minute of the experience.

She said: “I sent my picture in and I was one of four contestants chosen from England.

“I got to go to Hollywood and back then every girl wanted to go to Hollywood.

“It was terribly exciting. We all had beautiful dresses waiting for us and best of all we got to meet Doris as well.

“She was absolutely lovely, she really took the time to talk to us.

“The girl who won it came from Sweden and she was the spitting image of her.

“People took the mickey out of me, but I think they were just jealous.”

As well as meeting Doris, Jan’s prize also included a three-night stay in San Francisco.

Doris Day died last week, prompting a flood of tributes from across the world.

Jan said her death led to her reminiscing about the time she met her.

She added that the trip to Hollywood made her think she was psychic.

She said: “I had a dream before going that I was on a frozen lake.

“There was a reception we attended at one of the film sets that included a frozen lake.”

Doris Day was born in 1922.

She was hugely popular in the Fifties and Sixties, making major hits such as Que Sera Sera and Sentimental Journey, as well as popular films such as Calamity Jane and Pillow Talk.

She died on Monday last week, aged 97, after contracting pneumonia.