Six plates sold in the last 12 months have reached the top-seller list and the all-time record £352,411 paid in London for the 1D plate six months ago shows business is still booming, claims the DVLA.

After more than three million sales, the agency will mark two decades of selling personalised registrations next week and marketing manager Damian Lawson reports interest is already strong in the two 'star' plates - 5O and 2X.

'It's remarkable how Britain's motorists have taken to personalised numbers. Whole families buy them, not just for the adults, but for their children as well, businesses of all types and sizes use them to promote their brands and products and a growing number of our customers seem to be buying them for their investment value.

'While high-value sums achieved for the relatively small volume of registrations sold at our auctions regularly write headlines, our success is heralded by being able to provide ownership to everyday motorists - something made possible by the decision to offer the vast range of prefix and current style registrations from just £245,' he said.   This is particularly remarkable considering critics believed the scheme would be limited when first launched in 1989.