Morris Minor hidden in Harrogate garage for almost 50 years to go under the hammer

The distinctive brown-coloured vintage Morris Minor 1000 has just 190 miles on the clock and was kept in pristine condition, tucked away in a Harrogate garage.

The owner was so worried that his pride and joy would be damaged, he drove around in his Morris Traveller instead.

The unusual items comes complete with original purchase receipt from Kennings Harrogate Ltd on West Park showing the car cost £656 in July 1968 and is expected to fetch between £7,000 and £10,000 at C W Harrison & Son in Ossett tomorrow.

Fran Hazlewood, auctioneer and business development manager at C W Harrison & Son said the pristine car had attracted interest from as far away as New Zealand.

She said: “It is such a unique car, kept in such good condition, everyone is going mad for it. We can’t find anything to compare it too.

“It is just so unique, and beautifully kept, you can tell people haven’t been sitting on the leather seats and throwing their shopping in the boots.”

Alongside the car a number of Morris Minor parts and garage tools, also kept in pristine condition, will go to auction.

Some 1.3m Minors were manufactured between 1948 and 1972, but with a fairly sluggish top speed on 62mph, the Minor was more about practicality than pizazz.

In July 1968, when the car was bought Rolling Stones topped the charts with Jumping Jack Flash and a gallon of petrol cost just 30 pence.