THE roar of sports cars filled the air as 100 MGs sped off on the 25th Old Speckled Hen Tour.

The event began at Radley College in Kennington Road on Sunday morning when the newly elected Deputy Mayor of Abingdon, Margaret Crick, waved the cars off with a Union Jack.

The vintage vehicles then toured the surrounding countryside, stopping near Faringdon for a picnic before returning to Radley College at about 2.30pm for a cream tea.

The rally celebrates what were once two of the biggest employers in the town – MG cars and Morland's brewery, which produces Old Speckled Hen.

Abingdon Works Centre chairman Richard Martin said: "Everything went really well.

"It was the Deputy Mayor's first official function since she was elected.

"It is a lovely thing to do when the weather is as good as it was."

People from more than 20 countries who are fans of the classic cars attended the rally.

Mr Martin said: "We had a couple with an MG Midget who drove down from Manchester and we had people from Yorkshire.

"There are people from all over the country and there are always some regulars who come along every year as well."

MGs started being produced in Abingdon in 1929 when the company took on the lease of part of an old leather factory.

The company gradually took over more space until production ended there in 1980.