A HORSE racing trader who has never taken a day of work has won a brand new Mini.

Mick Sziler, 60, from Cherry Tree, Blackburn was nominated by a record number of colleagues at the Betfred's Birchwood headquarters in Warrington.

His name was drawn out of a hat from more than 1,200 nominated names from the 10,000-strong workforce by boss Fred Done as part of the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Many of his Betfred colleagues praised Mr Sziler, known as the company's 'Mr Nice Guy' who has never had a day off work sick, including driving into the office in third gear after breaking his ankle, while out walking.

Bosses at the firm said he was particularly popular for volunteering to work every Christmas day, although as he is the son of Ukrainian refugees his religion is Greek Orthodox and therefore under the Julian Calendar Christmas Day for him is January 7.

Mr Sziler, who is to give up his two year-old Citroen for the £22,000 car, said "I was in the office and my name flashed up on Betfred TV as the employee who had won the mini.

"Everyone was crowding round saying ‘well done’ and I was in a state of shock.

"I feel guilty as there are a lot more deserving people than me.

"The car is a real bobby dazzler."

Mr Sziler was destined to work in the bookmaking industry as his pal at Leeds University was the son of a Midlands bookie and the pair of them would skip lectures to go racing at nearby Pontefract and Wetherby.

He said: “My parents were refugees who came here in 1947 and given £1.

"They had the choice of going to Australia, Canada or Blackburn.

"My dad worked in a paper mill and our family was the first to buy our own house in Blackburn. I went to work for William Hill in London but then an old school friend of mine who I had met by chance told me a bookie’s was up for sale in Darwen.

“I scraped together enough to buy it and set up Tower Racing Limited in 1984 with the shop named after the famous Darwen Tower landmark.

"But then Fred came calling.”

Mr Done said: “He’s totally reliable and always goes the extra mile, well he will now in his new car.”