A MAN from Harlow has won a £72,000 Aston Martin in a competition which cost him just 19p to enter.

Thomas Wakeling, from Harlow, bagged the Aston Martin V8 Vantage courtesy of online competition specialist BOTB (Buy Of The Best).

Thomas, who works at Heathrow Airport, was at home when BOTB presenter Sean Hall knocked at his door to surprise him with the exciting news. He also revealed his new set of wheels, which was parked around the corner.

Having always been optimistic that he would win a new car one day, Thomas had entered BOTB’s competition but had completely forgotten about it – until Sean arrived with the keys.

“I don’t even remember doing it. It’s crazy!” said Thomas. “I came really close once before.

“I’ve been playing BOTB for years, and although I obviously hoped to win, I never really thought about winning.”

The high-performance grand tourer, known for its powerful V8 engine, breathtaking design, and precision handling, is one of Aston Martin’s most sought-after models.

As Thomas sat behind the wheel and fired up the engine for the first time, the reality of his incredible win started to sink in.

“My boy, who is currently in America, would love this,” he said. “The first thing he’ll ask me is, ‘Is it left-hand drive?’

“I’ve always liked Aston Martins, and think the DB11 and DB12 models are works of art.”

Sean said: “What an incredible win! Watching Thomas fire up the engine and take it all in was just priceless – he’s going to have a lot of fun driving this beauty.”

Thomas, who described the V8 Vantage as “definitely the noisiest car I’ve ever had,” is now looking forward to hitting the road in style.

“The Aston Martin would become our second car, and it would be nice to drive around in something different.

“My grandkids, who live in America, are coming over in June and they’re very excited.

“We’ve talked about driving to Italy, but the car has got quite a small boot. It would be nice to take it to the coast, places like Bournemouth or Cornwall,” he added.

Leading car competitions company BOTB hands over the keys to a stunning dream car each week as well as a lifestyle prize.

It also offers people the chance to win a holiday, cash, tech, cars and more in its Instant Wins Competition.

Founded by William Hindmarch in 1999, BOTB has given away £88.9m-worth of cars so far.

To see Thomas’s reaction alongside a host of other lucky winners, head over to BOTB.com.