I did get one second hand well cheap to use for paper round as I did flats and that.
Bent the forks doing some small jumps, so I turned the handlebars round the wrong way and kept riding into a wall until they were straight again.
My Sister's first mtb was a two tone orange and black Emmelle.
Mine was a Raleigh Lizard.
First proper bike was a 1993 Raleigh Peak, I paid a lot towards it from paper round and car washing.