Oxfordshire firefighters say they received reports of an explosion in garages off Edmunds Road, Banbury, in the early hours of this morning.
Two fire engines were sent to the scene and discovered a caravan on fire.
We always suspect the presence of gas cylinders at this kind of incident and our first consideration is for the safety of members of the public and our fire crews.
"As soon as a cylinder was identified as being involved, the local home owners were woken up and asked to move to the front of their premises away from the fire.
"A large quantity of water was then applied to the cylinder, by fire fighters working from behind cover, until it had been cooled sufficiently to enable it to be removed safely."
– Incident Commander John Callaway
Twelve firefighters dealt with the blaze. A heat sensing camera was then used to check the temperature of the cylinder. Crews remained at the scene for an hour and a half.
The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated by Thames valley Police.
Jimmy Stringer, 23, was one of four people who smashed their way into Michael Jones Jewellers in Banbury, armed with sledgehammers.
He was jailed today for five years and three months for his part in the robbery. Passers by helped bring him to justice, holding him down until police arrived.
No charges for MP who crashed into shop, cars and toilet
An Oxfordshire MP who lost control of his car and crashed into a shop, three other stationary cars and a portable toilet will not face criminal charges.
The MP for Banbury, Sir Tony Baldry, was trying to park his car when the accident happened last month. No-one was injured.
Large aluminium gates have been stolen by suspected metal thieves from a business premises in Banbury. Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after workers discovered the gates were missing from the property on Southam Road.
The stolen gates Credit: Thames Valley Police The lock of the missing gates Credit: Thames Valley Police
Do you recognise these two men? Credit: Thames Valley Police
Thames Valley Police have issued cctv images of two men who may have vital information about the theft of a car in Banbury in Oxfordshire.
A dark grey Hyundai Getz (58 plate) was taken from where it was parked in in Danesmoor, between 1.30pm and 6pm on Thursday August 23.
The car was later found at 8.15pm that evening parked in Forgeway. Its front bumper was slightly damaged. PC Kelly Gilbert from Thames Valley Police said: “The car belonged to an elderly woman, who it is believed had dropped her keys near the vehicle earlier that day.
"The car was then stolen, driven around and damaged and then parked up in Forgeway, no doubt with the intention of being used again by the offenders at a later time. The keys are still missing.
“I would like to speak to anyone who recognises the two men in the CCTV images or who has any information which may help us with the investigation.”
CCTV images of two men who may be able to help with police inquiries Credit: Thames Valley Police
Chiltern Railways has responded by adding 2 extra carriages to the busiest commuter trains. The company say it will mean 1,000 extra seats a week for passengers. Since the launch of Mainline just 12 months ago, there has been a significant increase in passengers travelling on rush hour services.
Banbury is a key Chiltern station at the heart of our network. We’re delighted to be able to offer more seats from Banbury as we continue to improve our service, to ensure that our passengers have the best service possible.
– Jennifer Payne, Customer Service Director, Chiltern Railways
Police are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery at a jeweller’s store in Banbury this morning.
At 10.40am officers were called to reports of an incident in the High Street. A number of men with their heads covered attacked the shop with a hammer and stole 'high value' watches, police said.
It is believed they then fled the scene on motorbikes. However, one offender was detained by a member of the public, who also managed to pull the headcovering from another offender.
A bag containing some or possibly all the property from the robbery was found at the scene.
A security device in the shop discharged clouds of smoke but there was no fire. One man has been arrested.
Det Insp Mike Lynch said: “We would urge any witnesses, and there were many as this was a busy shopping street, to contact us as a matter of urgency to tell us what they saw.”
Ten million pound new car park for Banbury Station
Banbury is set to benefit from a brand new multi-storey car park, creating an extra 707 spaces at the station.
The new car park, which is due to be opened next November will help to accommodate a growing number of future rail passengers from the region.
The car park, which will be built at the east side of the station and accessible by a link bridge, will not only mean more space for passengers but may also encourage more people to travel by train.
The expansion has been financed thanks to £10,461,000 of funding from Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC).
