The day a Walsall girl met the Queen – and didn't realise it was her

Their impromptu meeting happened as the monarch and Prince Phillip were touring the Black Country on July 27, 1977, to mark her Silver Jubilee.

Now a grandmother she was standing among the crowds who thronged outside Walsall Council House, in Lichfield Street, hoping to catch a glimpse of the couple arriving. She was clutching in her hands newly purchased pink rosebuds wrapped in paper.

Now known as Sonya Peek, she explains how she came to meet the Queen and then mayor James Leadbeater and describes the moment that was captured on film by the Express & Star.

Mrs Peek, a nursery nurse, of Stanbury Avenue, Darlaston, says: "I remember the day very well. I went to Walsall with my mom Pam to visit my dad Mick at work. At the time he was a a carpenter. On the way Mom told me about the Queen coming.

"We went to get some flowers from the shop. We were standing by the wall at the front of the council house and then out of the blue I was let through to give her the flowers. So I did.

"As I was only five at the time I didn't realise it was the Queen and that I'd met until I was much older.

"I was about eight or nine when the penny dropped.

"I thought she was amazing. She was beautiful, a wife and mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was remarkable. It was a privilege and an honour to meet her.

"I have a fabulous memory to treasure.

"I celebrated my 50th birthday in July so I wrote a letter to the Queen as it was also also the Platinum Jubilee. I explained who I was and included a copy of the photo of us meeting.

"I got a thank you letter back dated July 13 from Windsor Castle.

"It said 'Her Majesty was touched to know how much you cherished the memory'. 'The Queen is most grateful'.

"When I got that it felt fantastic. I wrote to her because I thought it was right thing to do. It her special jubilee and my special birthday. You only live once and I'm so glad I made the effort because now she's gone.

"She was an inspirational woman who I always looked up to through my life. I was really emotional when I heard that she died. I'd was in the car when it came over on the radio just after 6.30 on Thursday."

The mother-of-four and grandmother-of seven works at Darlaston's Rowley View Nursery.

"I keep got a copy of the photo at the school where I work to show the children and I also took a photocopy of the letter that she wrote back to me to show them. They think it's fascinating.

"My family think it's amazing that the photo is being beamed round the world on the internet after all these years."