THE Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations kicked off in true patriotic style last week with the screening of The Italian Job at Liphook’s Millennium Centre.

Centre manager Karen Feeney, who provided homemade lasagne, and assistant Caroline Lennox had been busy decorating the hall to recreate an Italian taverna.

Undisputed stars of the sold out ‘film and food night’ were a selection of iconic Minis parked outside the centre’s entrance.

Louise and Sam Lock, from Odiham, arrived in their classic 1992 red Rover Mini, which took more than four years of painstaking rebuilding. The couple are members of the Basingstoke Mini Club, as well as the RAF Mini Club, and enjoy taking their car to shows all over the UK.

Sam said: “We bought our Mini, which really belongs to Louise, in 2010 on eBay. It is our passion. No two Minis are the same and you can customise each one to your own design. Classic Minis have become collectors items and can fetch anything between £6,000 and £25,000.

“Last year, we took part with the RAF Mini Club at the Silverstone Classic Car Show and won best in show. We usually go to half a dozen classic car shows a year with one of the clubs and alway participate in the London to Brighton Mini Run, – this year it’s on May 21-22.

“We really enjoyed the film and food night, the bunting, the decorations in the hall, the delicious food and of course one of the most iconic patriotic movies – Michael Cane’s Italian Job – an absolute must for anyone who loves Minis.”