THE historic day when the Queen came to the Throne 50 years ago is being celebrated next month.

One York-born man who was delivered on that day is hoping to visit Buckingham Palace as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.

David Wharton was born at Acomb on February 6, 1952, Accession Day, and is among an estimated 3,000 people in Britain to share that birthday.

Other York Accession Day babies include Sharon Ramsden, nee Dalton, who now lives near Basingstoke, Hampshire, but whose parents, Edna and John Dalton, still live in York, and Christopher Jessop, whose parents, Nancy and Owen, live at Pocklington.

As part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Queen is inviting Accession Day babies to attend one of two garden parties in London and Edinburgh.

Mr Wharton, a geologist who is currently working in Aberdeen as part of a team that organises gas and oil exploration in the North Sea, said he will be applying for an invitation to the Buckingham Palace garden party.

His birth was recorded in the Evening Press by his father, Basil, a former Selby GP, and mother, Betty, a former ward sister at Leeds General Infirmary.

The father-of-one, who attended Brayton Primary School and Terrington Prep School before travelling the world with his job, said it would be a great honour to be part of the celebrations as he has always felt proud of his historic birth date.

He said: "I've always been conscious of the fact that it was the Queen's accession.

"I remember empathising with my mother. She went into a nursing home after the birth expecting a day or two off listening to the radio, which we do as a family quite a lot, but, of course, the news on the morning that I was born was that the King had died and the whole radio schedule was changed - the nation was in mourning."

Mr Wharton said attitudes to the Royal Family had changed in his lifetime, but he said it was still a very important anniversary.

He said: "Personally, I have a high regard for Prince Charles because he's more of my generation.

"I'm told that even though he had a different upbringing his sense of things is more in line with mine than, say the Queen's.

"I hope he gets the opportunity to make his mark on British society because of what he does for the under-privileged."

Applications from people born in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the Buckingham Palace garden party, to be held on Tuesday, July 9, must be in by February 15.

Local people should send them to Lord Crathorne, Crathorne House, Yarm, Cleveland, or telephone 01642 700431.

Eligibility is limited to those born on February 6, 1952, but includes people born overseas on this date who are now living in the UK as British citizens.

A similar garden party was held at Buckingham Palace in July 1997, celebrating the Queen and the Duke's golden wedding anniversary, to which couples married in the same year as the Royals were invited.

Updated: 12:03 Monday, January 14, 2002