Former world championship rally driver and team manager turned economy driving specialist Andy Dawson shattered all the records in the Layer Marney Cup, the historic Essex-based fuel trial which was first run in 1914.

The event was revived in 2015 and now takes place annually.

Running on Gulf Endurance petrol, Milton Keynes-based Dawson achieved fuel consumption of 123.77mpg for the 80-mile route through Essex and Suffolk in a Ford Mondeo hybrid.

Dawson has been a regular winner on the MPG Marathon and was the first driver on that event to achieve over 100 mpg – in a Ford Fiesta diesel.

He commented: “It has been my aim to achieve more than 100mpg in a petrol car for some time and last year in the MPG Marathon I missed it by a whisker. However, the Mondeo hybrid proved the ideal vehicle and while the route was short compared with our normal economy runs, it was very tricky including lots of villages and a drive through Colchester town centre.”

The route started at St Osyth’s Priory near Clacton upon Sea, following a fuel top-up at the local Gulf filling station, Pump Hill. The cars toured through several seaside towns before heading into Suffolk and concluded at the Layer Marney Tower, where the 1914 event had also finished.

Although the top honours were taken by the modern cars, there were veteran and classic cars taking part, which included a 1914 Model T Ford, a 1928 Bugatti type 44 and 1947 Lancia Aprilia.

Organiser Sheila Charrington said: “Everything went to plan and what a superb turn out with records broken. My thanks go to all the competitors and officials who helped us make the event a success and for Gulf who continue to support this event with fuel and prizes.”