MINIS of all shapes and sizes have taken over an Oxford show to celebrate the iconic brand's 60th birthday.

Sixty vehicles drove to the Cowley Classic Car Show in Cutteslowe Park this morning, after a spectacular cavalcade starting from the Mini plant.

Residents lined the streets for the seven-mile procession, while an unprecedented number of car enthusiasts have been drawn to an array of models dating back to 1959.

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Oxfordshire County Council leader, Ian Hudspeth, drove in the cavalcade and paid tribute to the brand.

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He said: "Wherever you are in the world, everybody knows where Oxford is and everybody knows what a Mini is.

"We should all be proud of those two iconic brands."

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Hundreds of people turned out in sweltering conditions to see a range of classic vehicles, with event organiser, Oxford Isis Rotary Club, expecting a record crowd.

Today marks exactly 60 years since the Alec Issigonis-designed Mini was launched, with the brand becoming a cultural icon.

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Many people fell in love with the Mini after watching 1969 film The Italian Job, including Lord Mayor of Oxford, Craig Simmons, who drove in the cavalcade in his official car, a hybrid Mini Countryman.

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He said: "I was born the year the Mini went into production, so it has been a thread in my life and many people's lives of my age.

"In the generation of The Italian Job, we all knew some cool kid with a Mini Cooper."

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The cavalcade featured several recognisable Minis, plus less conventional designs.

Heads were turned by the last surviving Mini police car - launched in 1978 and later bought on EBay by Guildford resident Alex Lee for £7,000 - and a Mini trailer, comprising two thirds of a car.

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Classic car enthusiast Tanya Field, from Oxford, organised the cavalcade alongside BBC Oxford and was delighted with the outcome.

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She said: "When everyone works together, that's when you get the best results. Mini brings everyone together and they've all played their part to make it happen."

BMW spokesperson Steve Wrelton, there with his son Albert, added: "Bringing people together of all ages to celebrate such a wonderful milestone, on a wonderful summer's day - what more can you ask for."