It was 25 years ago while Jacqueline Gold was doing work experience at her father's firm that she was invited to a Tupperware party.

That gave the Ann Summers boss, who was only 21 at the time, the idea for a business plan that catapulted the Croydon firm into the big time.

As the multi-million pound company celebrates its silver anniversary, Jacqueline, who is now chief executive of the Whyteleafe-based empire, told the Croydon Guardian they are as popular as ever.

She said: "At that Tupperware party women were asking me to talk to the bosses about doing Ann Summers parties.

"They told me it would be nice to be able to buy sexy underwear and not be embarrassed about doing it because times then were very different.

"In the early 80s people felt more embarrassed about going into sex shops. That was the inspiration behind it."

In its first year the Ann Summers party turned over £83,000 from 500 sales people running parties in their homes all over the country .

Today that turnover figure stands at £144million and the number of sales consultants has risen to 7,500.

Ms Gold added: "That figure makes us the largest party planning company in the UK. The parties are as popular as ever and although they may have slowed down a bit, the turnover says it all.

"What we have is completely unique and we have a special interaction with our customers. The parties are great and a really good way of having fun without spending a lot of money.

"Ann Summers has become a bit of a women's institution."

Ms Gold said the Rampant Rabbit vibrator remained its most popular item and two thirds of the vibrators sold in Britain each year are theirs.

"We are probably not growing at the same rate as we have done in the past, but being a retailer you always have to be thinking about the next way for the company to go", Ms Gold said.

The company is concentrating on expanding across Europe.

They claim Spain has taken a particular interest in the market.

But Ms Gold is not ready to hand over the reigns yet: "I will never retire, I will be doing this job forever!"