"Absolutely wonderful, more wonderful than I ever could have imagined!" was the verdict of Jean Barrett, after chatting to the Queen at Buckingham Palace yesterday.

Mrs Barrett, 79, from Fringford, near Bicester, shares her birth date with the monarch April 21, 1926 and was one of a select group picked from thousands of hopefuls to attend the Queen's 80th birthday lunch in London.

"The Queen held a small reception in the Long Gallery at the start of the party and wandered amongst us. She stopped and asked us where we were from and I told her I was from Oxfordshire," said Mrs Barrett.

"She was so relaxed and smiling and friendly. She really made us all feel so special to be there and she looked lovely.

"Then Prince Philip stopped and talked to a small group of us and also asked where we were from and we had quite a chat!"

She added: "The whole day has been absolutely perfect.

"When we sat down, I was on the next table to the queen, along with some people from Australia and South Africa, who were very interesting."

Mrs Barrett is one of five people in Oxfordshire who will be 80 on the Queen's birthday, but she only applied for the chance to attend the party as an afterthought.

She added: "I saw an advert in my parish magazine asking for people who shared her birthday to put their names forward and thought, 'Oh, I suppose I'd better but I never dreamed I'd hear back. I'm so glad I did now."

Mrs Barrett and her son Michael, who accompanied her, were among 190 people at the party at the palace.

"There was so much to see and do, it was quite overwhelming," she said.

"The Queen gave a little speech, saying how glad she was that we could all join her, and later the Scots Guards played Happy Birthday and we all sang to her.

"I wouldn't have missed this day for the world."

Mrs Barrett will also play a key role in Oxford's Queen's birthday celebrations when she gives one of the readings at a special service in Christ Church Cathedral on Friday.

The hour-long service, starting at 6pm, will also be attended by chairman of the county council, Lesley Legge, and the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Hugo Brunner. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Church bells will also be rung around the county on Friday to mark the occasion.