TON-UP Horace Preece celebrated his 100th birthday in style today - by casting his vote in the General Election.

As the country went to the polls, car-lover Horace notched up his milestone and shamed many younger stay-at-home voters with his political drive.

Horace - who has lived at Somerset House Residential Nursing Home, Wheldrake, for the last seven years - handed his postal vote to his son, Bill, who made sure it hit the road and got to the count in plenty of time.

Champagne corks popped today at a special party for the centenarian, who put an X in the box for the first time in the 1920s - when he voted for his all-time favourite PM, Liberal leader David Lloyd George.

After that, the election veteran became a staunch Tory.

After experiencing more than a dozen campaigns the true blue told the Evening Press that Michael Howard's party had his backing this time around.

Asked whether he thought it was important to have a say in the national poll, Horace simply replied: "Yes I do."

Born into a family of seven in heavily socialist South Wales, Horace trained as an engineer with Daimler Benz, Cardiff.

While serving the Air Ministry fine-tuning planes during the Second World War, he snapped up a flash Morgan sports car and took it for a spin at its top speed of 72mph.

Old age didn't curb his love of fast cars.

During the 2001 election, Horace, then 96, was taken to the polling station by the former owner of the nursing home... in a Mercedes.

The former Poppleton resident today put his longevity down to "contentment and a happy family life".

Son Bill, 72, from York, said: "He's a great character and a charming old boy."

Updated: 10:16 Thursday, May 05, 2005