YORK punters who fancy a New Year flutter can try their luck with a range of bizarre locally-themed bets.

As one of the UK's top cities for horse racing, many York residents have long enjoyed a bet and a few big gambles have been landed over the years.

But most of these bets would make even your most hardened punter think twice before handing over their cash.

Lee Mattocks Bookmakers, in Clifton, is offering 1-3 for York City to survive the season or 2-1 for them not surviving.

Lee also offers 1,000-1 for a current York City player winning a full international cap in 2003.

Away from football, he will pay 5,000-1 if London is scrapped as England's capital and York takes its place.

Carl Flint, who runs Ebor Racing, in Gerard Avenue, Tang Hall, offers punters 50,000-1 on Yorkshire being granted complete independence, with York as its capital, in 2003.

For those who like a political bet, Carl will lay 2,000-1 on whether Eddie Vee, of the Monster Raving Loony Party, will become York's MP in a shock by-election result.

Or for the more adventurous gambler, Carl will pay "a million to one, or my office keys," to anyone who thinks Elvis Presley will be spotted having a pint with Lord Lucan in the King's Arms.

Steve Halliday, of Jorvik Racing, in Bright Street, will pay 100,000-1 if a string of shock deaths and abdications mean Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, will be crowned King of England this year.

More temptingly, he offers 5,000-1 for a jockey to win every race in a 2003 meeting at York Racecourse.

Punters at the Tote's Walmgate branch did not seem too impressed.

"I might have a go at York City surviving at 1-3. But I'd want five million to one for most of the others," said Daniel Gorin, of Strensall.

Richard Smith, of South Bank, said: "The York City prices aren't bad, and I like the York Racecourse bet. I think I'll be leaving the rest well alone though."

Updated: 11:49 Friday, January 03, 2003