A LUCKY schoolboy is proving his worth around his family's farm... and it's all thanks to his new "toy".

Martin Dean won a classic 1970 4000 Ford tractor by entering a competition in a national magazine.

The 13-year-old, who is a pupil at Ryedale School, in Nawton, uses the tractor to help out on the family farm.

His mum, Lindy, said: "He entered the competition in Classic Tractors Magazine in November. He sent his entry off and we forgot about it," she said.

"But a few weeks ago he was off with the flu and I got a phone call from the magazine saying he'd won. When I told him he couldn't believe it. He got better very quickly after that."

The family, who run West Farm, at South Holm, near Slingsby, travelled to Lincolnshire to pick up Martin's prize.

"It's a classic vehicle and he loves it. He uses it to pick up hay bales and help around on the farm," said Mrs Dean.

Updated: 12:06 Wednesday, February 13, 2002