FLORENCE might be slow and old but she is a much-loved record breaker who still puts a shift in for her employers despite being well past her retirement age.

Working hard for Hove-based Lawrence Art Supplies, Florence the electric milk float always turns heads whenever she is out and about.

And heads don’t have to turn very fast as her top speed is only 8mph, whether she is at work or on the campaign trail with Brighton Kemptown parliamentary candidate Davy Jones.

Born in 1947, she is thought to be the oldest of her kind in the country, pre-dating a similar model in the Beaulieu Motor Museum by one year, and definitely the oldest one still plying her trade.

Martin Lawrence, owner of the family-run art shop in Portland Road, Hove, bought her off eBay in 2009 for £2,500 after the company moved its mail order warehouse from Cornwall to Hove.

Manufactured by the Brush Motor Engineering company, Florence is still used by the company on a regular basis, making her steady way from the art shop to deliver supplies to the University of Brighton art school and to local artists.

Mr Lawrence said: “When we bought her we definitely envisaged that she would be absolutely ideal for our business – easy to load up stock at the warehouse and to unload at our art shop and small enough to not take up too much space.

“Florence is very environmentally friendly to run – perfect for our busy city.

“We have solar panels on the roof of our warehouse so we are also putting back into the grid some of the electricity we use.”

One person who is very familiar with Florence is Green parliamentary candidate Davy Jones who has driven her to both the Kemptown Carnival and the Lantern Fayre as part of his campaigning.

He said: “She certainly attracts a lot of interest. At the Lantern Fayre I think I had as many chats about it as I did about politics.

“Her maximum speed is 8mph so it’s slow going and she’s not good on hills.

“She can go up hills but only at 1 or 2mph, slower than walking pace so I don’t think I will be taking her over to Rottingdean any time soon.

“There are a few drivers who get a bit frustrated and want to undertake you but most people find it highly amusing with some people beeping or cheering because it’s such an unusual vehicle.”