Peter Munro and David Blunt won the top prizes in a suggestion scheme at the Austin Rover car plant at Cowley.

Dividing £5,000 was easy, but splitting a Maestro car between them posed a problem.

Mr Blunt, a 28-year-old quality engineer, of Sandy Lane, Tiddington, near Thame, explained: “We have done a deal in which I keep the car.”

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He and Mr Munro, 29, of Hambleside, Bicester, landed the prizes after they suggested a modification to the Maestro and Montego models which saved the company £157,000 a year.

They are seen in 1981 at the presentation ceremony with plant director John Stark.

The car plant now makes BMW Minis.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

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