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| Town of concrete cows reaches 40 | Town of concrete cows reaches 40 |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The town famous for its concrete cows and roundabouts is celebrating its 40th birthday with a special postage stamp. | The town famous for its concrete cows and roundabouts is celebrating its 40th birthday with a special postage stamp. |
| A total of 400 first-day covers will be issued on Tuesday to toast four decades since Milton Keynes was declared a new town by the government. | A total of 400 first-day covers will be issued on Tuesday to toast four decades since Milton Keynes was declared a new town by the government. |
| In 1967 it was just a Buckinghamshire village that had been mentioned in the Domesday book, but it is now an urban area with a population of 218,000. | In 1967 it was just a Buckinghamshire village that had been mentioned in the Domesday book, but it is now an urban area with a population of 218,000. |
| Plans to expand the town with a further 70,000 houses are now being developed. | Plans to expand the town with a further 70,000 houses are now being developed. |
| In a message on Milton Keynes Council's website, chief executive John Best described the town as "dynamic". | In a message on Milton Keynes Council's website, chief executive John Best described the town as "dynamic". |
| We have to be an inclusive place, where prosperity is shared John Best, chief executive of Milton Keynes Council | We have to be an inclusive place, where prosperity is shared John Best, chief executive of Milton Keynes Council |
| "We are on an incredible journey, but it's not without hazards," he said. | "We are on an incredible journey, but it's not without hazards," he said. |
| "We have to be an inclusive place, where prosperity is shared." | "We have to be an inclusive place, where prosperity is shared." |
| Exhibition | Exhibition |
| Special events are being held throughout the day to celebrate the birthday, including a fireworks display at the Discovery Centre in Bradwell Abbey and a thanksgiving service at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. | Special events are being held throughout the day to celebrate the birthday, including a fireworks display at the Discovery Centre in Bradwell Abbey and a thanksgiving service at the Church of Christ the Cornerstone. |
| There is also an exhibition in Middleton Hall in the Centre:MK where works of local inventors, poets and film-makers will be on show. | There is also an exhibition in Middleton Hall in the Centre:MK where works of local inventors, poets and film-makers will be on show. |
| Milton Keynes was originally built to accommodate an incoming population of Londoners over a period of 20 years, and the site was deliberately chosen to be equidistant from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Oxford and Cambridge. | Milton Keynes was originally built to accommodate an incoming population of Londoners over a period of 20 years, and the site was deliberately chosen to be equidistant from London, Birmingham, Leicester, Oxford and Cambridge. |
| The designated area was almost 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) and included the existing towns of Bletchley, Stony Stratford, Wolverton and New Bradwell, together with 13 villages and the brickfields to the south west of Bletchley. | The designated area was almost 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) and included the existing towns of Bletchley, Stony Stratford, Wolverton and New Bradwell, together with 13 villages and the brickfields to the south west of Bletchley. |
| The name "Milton Keynes" was taken from the existing village of Milton Keynes on the site. | The name "Milton Keynes" was taken from the existing village of Milton Keynes on the site. |
| Do you live in Milton Keynes? Do you love it or loathe it? Have you lived there since the town was founded? Send us your experiences using the form at the bottom of the page. | Do you live in Milton Keynes? Do you love it or loathe it? Have you lived there since the town was founded? Send us your experiences using the form at the bottom of the page. |
| As a resident of Milton Keynes for 29 years, can I just point out - the concrete cows actually mean nothing to the residents of the town - they only mean something to people who don't live here! To us, they are just another piece of artwork in a far-flung field (I've only seen them twice in my entire life, whilst I see real cows every day - yes we do have them!)Dave, Milton Keynes | As a resident of Milton Keynes for 29 years, can I just point out - the concrete cows actually mean nothing to the residents of the town - they only mean something to people who don't live here! To us, they are just another piece of artwork in a far-flung field (I've only seen them twice in my entire life, whilst I see real cows every day - yes we do have them!)Dave, Milton Keynes |
| I lived in MK for only a short time. But I think that MK is one of the cleanest and most pleasant cities in the UK to live. If it hadn't been for the cost of living in MK I would have gladly stayed there.Stuart Johnston, Gateshead | |
| Firstly I must say how fantastic it is that Milton Keynes has finally been recognised for the place it is. I have lived her for 23 years and my parents have lived her for 31 years, originally coming from London and Blisworth. I have lived in different areas of Milton Keynes and I LOVE it and I'm proud to say I live here. We have everything a place needs, you name it we have it!!!!!! Wouldn't be anywhere else!! Happy Birthday MK xxGemma Bowler, Old Wolverton | |
| I have lived here for 6 years now and it's a great place. There is so much to see and do and it's really easy to travel anywhere from here with all the excellent transport links. Here's to another 40 years! Conor McGill, Bletchley | |
| I was born in Bletchley and lived in Milton Keynes until last year when I moved to County Durham. Milton Keynes has it's good and bad points. It has everything you could need for work and leisure and being on major transport links makes travelling about the country easy. However, the cost of living is expensive, rents and house prices are way above what a single person on an average wage can afford. At the end of the day we are all different, some people will love living there but for me personally I prefer the north.Anon, County Durham | |
| I have only been through this town a few times, but I've discovered the journey to be like an animation from rhubarb and custard. A flat, souless, concrete, faceless, feature-free nuclear village. Where is the centre of Milton Keynes ? It's like navigating a fractured grid of football pitches.Alan Kelly, Bushey | |
| Happy 40th Birthday MK! We get slated by some who don't understand what Milton Keynes is all about. "Concrete Jungle"? - yeah right - 28 parks covering 4500 acres with 20 million trees and a site of special scientific interest! Where else in the country can you go to the cinema, go windsurfing, skiing and skydiving; all in the same day? MK isn't just a place, it's a way of life! I've lived here for 19 years and whilst there are plenty of other towns and cities in the UK that I like to vist I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.Richard Wilkinson, Heelands | |
| I have lived in Milton Keynes for 8 months and it has been 8 months too long. I am moving back to London on Sunday and can't wait. Never have I lived in such a place that has so little atmosphere. Legoland doesn't even come close to describing it.Emma, Milton Keynes | |
| I have lived in Milton Keynes for almost my whole life, and my family is from the area. I have been getting more disillusioned with the town over the last few years and I will soon be moving out. This is partly due to local house prices, but partly because of the state that MK, especially the city centre is getting into. Our local paper recently printed a list of MK innovations - the Open University, first multiplex cinema in the UK etc. The most recent of these was 1985! The Theatre District and Xscape have opened in the last few years as prestigious developments. The inside malls of Xscape now resemble a cheap market. Outside the air-conditioning fans blast the smell of fast food onto passing pedestrians, and the area is home to two semi-permanent "fairground" rides. All of this is to attract thousands of revellers from far and wide to the pubs and clubs. Taxis and police officers are virtually impossible to find on a Friday or Saturday night because they are busy catering for these visitors. What do we get in return? Filth and fights, with two of our local bobbies recently spending time in hospital. Happy birthday MK...Simon Chambers, Milton Keynes | |
| Do you have any pictures of the town's history or its hidden charms? You can email your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. | Do you have any pictures of the town's history or its hidden charms? You can email your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |