Mini fans will flock to Himley Hall

The first Mini rolled off the production line at Cowley 50 years ago this week, and the anniversary will be commemorated on British Mini Day in the grounds of the home on Sunday.

The event is being run by the British Mini Club and among the exhibitors will be Wombourne newsagent Geoff Beckett, who is hoping to take two historic vehicles to the show.

The first is his green 1967 Austin Mini Traveller which took him six years to restore 'on and off'.

It's now in immaculate condition and he has since won a number of trophies with it at shows. The second is a Mini British Open Classic in metallic British Racing Green – one of a limited run of 1,000 dating from 1992.

Geoff said: "It had been off the road for seven years, because we didn't really have much need for it after we got one of the new MINIs.

"We thought the 50th anniversary of the Mini would be the ideal excuse to get it back on the road."

The car is all but finished and Geoff has one or two minor jobs to sort before putting it through its MoT.

He said: "If it passes later in the week then it will be there too."

Though he learned to drive in a Triumph Herald, Geoff bought his first Mini as long ago as 1970, because it was 'the cheapest way to get into motorsport' at the time.

He was a member of the Mini 7 Club and used his car for autocross events which were held on grass circuits.

In 1979 was the club's overall Mercury champion. His wife Sue shares his enthusiasm for Minis and both are members of the British Mini Club.

Geoff said: "We meet on Tuesdays at the New Invention pub in Stallings Lane, Kingswinford, and everyone is really friendly.

The couple's elder son David learned to drive in a Mini and he has carried out much of the restoration work on the British Open Classic car.

British Mini Day is being held at Himley Hall on Sunday from 10am until 5pm. Admission is £6.