THERE was a celebration of a British icon on Sunday as dozens of Morris Minors returned home to the Mini Plant in Cowley to mark the classic car’s 70th anniversary.

Members of the Oxon and Berks branch of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club gathered at the plant where many of the cars were built.

The quintessentially British car, officially launched in 1948, forms a huge part of Oxford’s motoring manufacturing heritage after shooting to fame due to its practicality, easy maintenance and low cost.

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More than 1.6 million were manufactured from its launch up until 1971.

Chair of the Oxon and Berks Morris Minor Owners’ Club Chris Biggs said: “It’s an absolutely iconic small family car of the immediate post-war era.

“It was the first car to make low cost motoring available to ordinary families, it was the means by which many people were able to own their first car and so it’s only right that we celebrate it, here, where many of them were built.”

A gleaming fleet of around 30 vintage vehicles were on display outside the Mini visitor centre including one particularly rare 1948 MM Series - dubbed by the club as the ‘star birthday car’.

Plant workers who had been on the construction line building the Morris Minors were also invited to join the celebrations, including 88-year-old former motor mechanic Arthur Davis.

Mr Davis, who lives in Cowley worked at the plant from 1954 until his retirement in 1992 and said it was fantastic to be able to return to the site for a trip down memory lane.

He said: “It brings back a lot of memories.

“I should imagine I worked on some of the cars sitting outside.

“I used to have one myself. We went everywhere in it - of all the cars I’ve owned it’s my favourite car.

“They were just so easy to maintain, very different from the cars of today.”

Lord Mayor of Oxford Colin Cook who also attended the anniversary celebrations said: “It’s an absolute credit to the workmanship of the time that so many of these iconic cars are still going.”

The Morris Minor was the first British model of which more than a million were produced over its 24-year run, and became a precursor to another British classic car - the original Mini.

Director of assembly at Mini Plant Oxford, Stefan Huelsenberg, who also joined in the celebrations on Sunday said: “On behalf of the plant I’m delighted to welcome everyone to celebrate 70 years of the Morris Minor.

“This iconic car, designed by the legendary Sir Alec Issigonis, has a special place in Oxford’s motor manufacturing heritage.

“It was a precursor to the classic Mini and a hugely popular family car in its day.

“To see so many of them returning to their spiritual home here in Oxford is just fantastic.”