A BOLTON man has driven off with arguably the bargain of the Millennium -- a brand new car for just £5.

There was double delight for Ronald Barnes, 33, as he discovered he had won a £6,600 Daewoo Matiz on the same day he collected the honours degree he had worked for part time over several years.

Mr Barnes, of Seymour Road, Astley Bridge, picked up the keys to the five-door "supermini" at Daewoo's outlet in Linkway, Middlebrook.

He was one of only 50 winners nationwide in a draw entered by more than 50,000 people to celebrate the car company's fifth anniversary in Britain. Each was allowed to buy the hatchback for just a fiver.

And the sales assistant, who works in Eccles, could not hide his delight.

Mr Barnes said: "At first I didn't believe it. I had to read the letter two or three times. The timing couldn't have been better because I was looking to replace my old Hyundai Coupe anyway. I certainly never expected to pick one up for a fiver."

He described how the prize was a double bonus because it came on the same day as he graduated with an honours degree in business studies from Bolton Institute which he had spent the best part of five years striving for.

"It was quite a day," he said. "Finding out I had won the car certainly added to the celebrations. It was spot on." Mr Barnes entered the competition as he shopped around various dealers for a new car. He had to fill out a questionnaire describing the features his ideal car of the future would have.

Daewoo outlet customer services manager Peter Reeves presented the car to Mr Barnes on Thursday night.

The company sells cars directly at its own showrooms rather than working through franchised dealerships.

For the last fortnight the Bolton Evening News has been running a competition giving readers the chance to win a Daewoo Matiz.