"There were no women anywhere and when I applied I did not realise that I was the only woman, not that it made much difference. "It was difficult because you're trying not to stand out but you are put on a pedestal but the people around me were good guys and I had a long time to prove myself. "By the time I passed the training, they saw I could do the job. "It was sort of accidental. I wasn't leading a crusade for girls.