A GLEAMING fleet of Morris Minors were parked triumphantly up in front of their place of birth in Cowley yesterday as part of a national celebration.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Morris Minors Owners Club, one of the classic cars is making its way through every branch from from John O’Groats to Lands End over a four-week period.

The Oxfordshire branch gathered at Oxford’s Mini plant at about 12.45pm to welcome the car to the place it were built. The first Morris Minors rolled off the production line about 60 years ago.

Branch member and former Cowley employee Paul Hurd said: “We hung around and kept it there, and have now driven it to the Daytona Karting track in Milton Keynes and handed it over to the Buckinghamshire branch.

“We felt we couldn’t miss out on taking it back to its birthplace.”

About eight other Minors were at the plant for the occasion, with one decked out in blue and yellow: the colours of Marie Curie, the national charity being supported as part of the marathon.

Mr Hurd added: “They were looking very nice and all polished up for the day. It has all gone very well.”

The Morris Minor was designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, also the creator of the Mini, and built by William Morris.

It shot to fame based on its simplicity and durability and more than than 1.3 million were manufactured between 1948 and 1972.

The Oxfordshire branch of the MMOC has just changed its monthly meeting spot to The Plough pub in Long Wittenham, every first Wednesday of the month.