BACK in the 1980s, Tanya Parker and her fiancé Jason Field met and fell in love at what is now Oxford’s BMW Mini factory.

Tomorrow, they are showing their shared love for the classic car by taking their Mini Coopers to the Regent Street Motor Show in London.

The couple, who have three children, are among 50 enthusiasts chosen by the Mini Cooper Register to display vehicles in the 50th anniversary celebration of the model.

The Fields, of Mark Road, Headington, have seven Minis to choose from, but Mrs Field will drive her metallic blue 2000 Cooper Sport to London with Mr Field following in his British Racing Green 1990 Mini Cooper RSP S.

Mrs Field said: “Jason and I met in 1988 when we were both doing our apprenticeships at what was then Austin Rover in Cowley.

“We’ve always been fans of Minis and still share our love of them.

“Now our sons are getting involved and I’m sure they will end up driving Minis as well.

“We go to rallies all over the country and there is a great camaraderie between the owners.

“We love Minis because they are quirky cars and great fun to drive.”

Mrs Field, 40, works with people with mental health problems while Mr Field, 39, works in IT at the BMW Mini plant in Cowley.

Already their son Kieran, 16, has a Mini waiting for him once he passes his driving test.

Son Jamie, 15, also has a Mini in his name, although his twin brother Daniel does not yet have a car of his own.

Mrs Field added: “Recently Jason’s 1960 Austin Seven Mini won the Car of the Show award at the annual Mini Festival in Gaydon.

“Because we have seven Minis in the family, Jason often drives a different one to work each day.

“His colleagues joke that he changes his Minis as often as his underwear.”

As well as Mini Coopers, there will also be 50 E-Type Jaguars in Regent Street, as the model is also celebrating its half-century.

Joining Mr and Mrs Field will be pensioner Brian Hore, from Didcot, who will take his 1967 white E-reg Mini Cooper with a black roof.

It has taken 12 years and about £5,000 for Mr Hore to restore the vehicle, which needed a new shell from another car of the same year as well as a new interior.

Mr Hore once owned 13 Minis but now has seven, with four stored in garages.

At the show there will also be more than 100 cars from the Royal Automobile Club’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and 80 cars representing the future of motoring.

A third of the street will be closed to traffic to take in 300 cars from three centuries of motoring.