The funeral of a man who tested the first Minis to roll off the production line in Oxford took place on January 14.

Father of four and grandfather of nine Ivor Blackford, 73, grew up in Marston, where he lived until 1984.

He then moved to Fewcott with his wife Mary, 70, where the couple established the Fewcott House nursing home, with Mr and Mrs Robert Good.

Mr Blackford was born in The Friars, Oxford, and his parents moved to Marston in 1937, where they ran The Friar's pub.

Mr Blackford, former vice-president of Kidlington Cricket Club and a member of Bicester Masons, worked as a tester for Morris Motors, which is now BMW in Cowley.

He and Mary married in 1951 and brought up their children, Linda, Jim, Jacq and Sally, in Crotch Crescent, Marston.

The Blackfords and the Goods sold Fewcott House last year.

Mrs Blackford said: "Ivor was kind, friendly, jovial, larger than life and a family man."

Mr Blackford had been suffering from cancer. His funeral took place at St John's Chapel, at Oxford Crematorium.