MATT Tomkins drives his 1969 Morris Minor to and from university – but just over eight months ago he found it in hundreds of pieces in a garage in Oxfordshire.

He embarked on a painstaking restoration job, calling in help from former Cowley plant workers to bring the Morris Minor 1000 Traveller back to its former glory.

After buying the motor for £500, Mr Tomkins spent 12- hour days tinkering away on it in his parents’ gazebo.

But his efforts paid off and the car, which had been languishing in a garage at RAF Benson, is now insured for £10,000.

It also won an award at the Practical Classics Restoration Show at the NEC last month.

Mr Tomkins’ submission featured as one of 28 restorations in the Practical Classics magazine and the top 10 were shown off at the show, with the 21-year-old’s car voted into first place by the public .

He said: “It was fantastic. It wasn’t the shiniest car there but it was more the fact that it was done in a gazebo on my parent’s driveway on a low budget that won it for me.

“It was a massive learning experience. I didn’t hand it over to anyone to spray or anything.

“I taught myself how to weld and how to spray and rebuilt the engine over an eight-month period.

“My parents – along with my neighbours – were incredibly patient but I think they are also very proud.”

Mr Tomkins is secretary of the Ox and Berks branch of the Morris Minor Owners Club. The Oxford Brookes student said he had learned from lots of the club’s members, including some who built the original cars at the Cowley plant.

He said: “With the local Morris Minor connections it’s certainly an active branch.

“It’s nice to see people who worked on the original Morris Minors in the factory.

“I shared a lot of what I was doing on forums and with members and they were all very helpful.”

Mr Tomkins, of Morrell Avenue, joined the branch aged 16 after buying his first Morris Minor.

He said: “Five years on and I’m heavily involved with the branch – there’s a great sense of community and friendship there. It’s meant I’ve gone from owning one to owning three.”

Ox and Berks branch chairman Paul Hurd, of Wheatley, worked at the Cowley factory for more than 40 years.

He said: “In the branch we have a good pool of knowledge and expertise which we pass on to the next generation, like Matt. We are all extremely proud of Matt and what he has achieved.”