ONE lucky shopper had a Christmas to remember after a winning a new car - for the price of only £1. Grandfather Peter Turk was one of more than 9,000 people who entered Maidstone's Chequers Shopping Centre's Renault Clio competition in aid of Demelza House children's hospice near Sittingbourne.

Entrants paid £1 to guess how many balls were inside the car. Mr Turk, 64, from Ticehurst, East Sussex, had only bought himself a second-hand Metro for £600 last year. He said he had never had a new car in his life and would definitely keep the Clio.

Mr Turk was one of two entrants who correctly guessed how many balls were stuffed into the car, bought by the shopping centre for donation, proving spot on with 3,451.

The tie was resolved by Neville Butress, of Campbell Road, Maidstone, who was in the shopping centre at the time and performed the honours by drawing Mr Turk's name from the hat. The competition raised £9,578 for the hospice.

Chequers Shopping Centre's deputy manager, Andy Pottle, said: "Demelza House is one of the Mayor's charities, which we're supporting. Our Christmas grotto is supporting Peggy Wood's Kent Leukaemia and Cancer Equipment Fund."

Mr Turk, who has 16 grandchildren, will pick up his new car from Whitehouse Renault, Tunbridge Wells, in the New Year.