When the Carnival Queen and her party set off on a parade through the city, an unexpected passenger hopped on board.

Jimmy Dingle became famous for walking around the city centre in top hat and tails, holding his advertising board.

Despite being 83, he had intended to walk in the procession from Oxpens to Sandy Lane, Blackbird Leys, where the first Oxford Carnival was held in 1968.

But at the last minute, he was invited on to the ‘Royal’ float by the queen herself, 21-year-old Wendy Herdman.

Jimmy is pictured in his usual regalia, holding his ‘Carnival Time’ board, with the queen, her attendant, Charmaine Grace, and drum majorettes Yvonne Roberts and Carrie Doughty.

The carnival was opened on the Sandy Lane recreation ground by Simon Dee, then a huge star with his popular BBC TV show, Dee Time.

He quickly found himself at the centre of what was described as a “minor battle”.

As soon as he arrived at the ground and stepped on to the stage with Miss Herdman, hundreds of fans surged forward, trying to get his autograph.

Organisers managed to get the queen and her attendant to safety, but the TV personality was trapped.

A plan for him to “mingle furtively” among the sideshows was abandoned.

More than 1,000 people attended the carnival, which organisers described as a resounding success.

Twenty floats took part in the procession and the winner chosen by the Lord Mayor, Peter Spokes, was a lorry full of pensioners, entitled Full House at Northbrooke House, bingo on wheels.

Entertainments at the carnival included helicopter trips over the city, displays by the Pressed Steel Judo Club, Irish dancers and gymnasts, a baby show, Punch and Judy and music from the Yarnton Youth Band and a West Indian steel band.

The carnival ended with a dance at the town hall, with Simon Dee partnering Miss Herdman to the music of the American air force band.