FORGET boring birthday cards from MPs eager to secure votes from youngsters.

Wannabe York MP Clive Booth has come up with a "wheely" good idea.

The Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate is inviting more than 400 city teenagers who turned 18 this year on a free bus trip to the home of politics - Westminster.

He hopes the return trip to London will convince a generation of new voters that politics is interesting and important.

Hundreds of personalised invitations were posted to York teenagers this week, ahead of the first coach leaving on October 29

"I hope by offering the trip at my expense I can encourage a good response," said the man who hopes to oust Labour MP Hugh Bayley at the next election.

"I don't know why this hasn't been done before," added the politician. "I don't think it's politics that's boring - I think it today's politicians that have switched people off.

The invitations are going out to voters who turned 18 this year before September 9. Anyone eligible who does not get a card should phone 01904 788355.

York bus companies interested in helping with the scheme should call the same number.

Updated: 10:20 Monday, September 13, 2004