A Shirebrook bus driver said he was over the moon after winning the 2016 Car of the Year in a prize draw at the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, Mansfield.

Marc Tracy (40), said he couldn’t believe it when his entry was picked out by Miss Mansfield Amy Beilby on Monday.

“I was in shock when I got the call to say I’d won,” said father-of-three Marc. “I very nearly didn’t answer the phone as I didn’t recognise the number – but I’m glad I did.”

Launched last month, the contest to win the £9,300 Skoda Citigo – named What Car? Best city car in the 2016 Car of the Year Awards – saw a terrific response from the town with almost 2,000 entries.

The draw was broadcast live on radio station Mansfield 103.2.

“The kids thought I was joking when I told them we’d won,” said Marc, a bus driver with Stagecoach. “It couldn’t have come at a better time, as our current car has got 140,000 miles on the clock and is getting a bit tired.”

Rebekah O’Neill, manager at the Four Seasons, said she was delighted the prize draw had proved such a hit.

“This is the first time we’ve ever given a car away to one of our shoppers, and I’m thrilled it has been so fantastically popular,” she said.

“We had hundreds upon hundreds of entries, and everyone at the centre is excited for Marc and his family to be driving away with the car.”

Four Seasons teamed up with local car dealership Rainworth Skoda for the Win A Car contest, and sales manager Jeremy Taylor said the event had been well received.

“The number of entries was staggering,” he said. “We’ve all enjoyed the thrill of the event, and are looking forward to presenting Marc with the keys to his fantastic new Skoda Citigo.”

Luck of the draw – Miss Mansfield Amy Beilby plucks the winning entry, watched by Rebekah O’Neill and Chris Lineker, of Rainworth Skoda.