Morgan is celebrating the birthday this year of its longest running success story.

Although several car makers can claim 70 years of continuous production, only the Malvern firm has been making the same model for all of that time.

Morgan started making its classic 4/4 model in 1936 and is still making it now.

To celebrate the car's 70th birthday, the Pickersleigh Road company is making a special limited edition 4/4.

Just 142 cars will be produced - two for every year of its production life. Each will be individually marked with the year it represents and finished in period style.

Charles Morgan, director and grandson of the company's founder, said: "We're really proud to celebrate this anniversary. We've made nearly 10,000 4/4s over the years.

"The fact that we have kept the essence and character of the car, whilst keeping the functionality and safety totally current, is a testament to the original design and the skills and ingenuity of our engineers."

Production of the anniversary special starts this month and will go on until November. The cars will cost £27,950 each.

Matthew Parkin, from the company, said interest in the car from Morgan fans had been intense and quite a number were already pre-sold.

However, enthusiasts in the USA are facing disappointment - the car is not being sold there, as its engine does not conform with federal regulations.