One happy man has driven away a brand new sports Mitsubishi Outlander the day before his 50th birthday - after winning a national competition he didn't even enter.

John Jennings, 50, nearly lost the £17,000 prize because he thought he was the victim of a prankster.

His wife, Lesley, 46, entered him into the GMTV competition by answering a simple question: what do you use to change a wheel? A jack.

And, when a spokesman from the breakfast show phoned to tell him the good news, John put the phone down thinking it was a wind-up.

Luckily, on-the-ball Lesley called them back.

John of Down Hall Road, Rayleigh, said: "What a perfect complement to a 50th birthday. My wife's got me some lovely presents over the years, but this is by far the most expensive."

Published Tuesday July 20, 2004

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