HE IS Oxford’s very own scourge of Zimbabwe’s despotic regime.

And now East Oxford’s Richard Pantlin is returning to the African country after cycling through it dressed as a clown in 2009 for charity.

This time he will be dressed as a priest and will be delivering a letter to president Robert Mugabe, who is expected to stand for re-election in July.

His message will call for peace and for an end to political violence.

The IT developer said: “Political intimidation and violence is already increasing.

“The 10-year-old son of an opposition activist was burned to death allegedly by Mugabe’s ZANU-PF supporters.

“Since 2009 there has been a fragile unity government and gradual improvement in people’s living conditions after the catastrophic cholera and hyper-inflation of 2008.”

Last month a new constitution was approved by 95 per cent of voters in a referendum.

It will limit future presidents to two five-year terms but does not apply retrospectively.

This means Mr Mugabe, who has run the country since 1987, can stand for election again.

That was the year Mr Pantlin first visited Zimbabwe and fell in love with the country.

In 2009 he went on a 373-mile bike ride and delivered to Mr Mugabe a postcard he bought on his first visit to “remind him what Zimbabwe once stood for”.

Mr Pantlin is raising money for Zimbabwe A National Emergency, which helps widows, orphans and HIV sufferers in the country.

His latest expedition is being covered in The Zimbabwean, one of the country’s leading newspapers.

He has already arrived in South Africa and will begin his trip into Zimbabwe in about a week’s time.

Yet he has not wanted to reveal more details out of fear over the country’s secret police.

Travel advice issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office says visitors should avoid “associating with any activity that could be construed as political”.

It goes on to say: “It is an offence to make derogatory or insulting comments about President Mugabe or to carry material considered to be offensive to the President’s office.

“The police have told some British nationals that they will not respond to politically motivated crime.

“An open hand is the political symbol of the former opposition, now the party of the Prime Minister, MDC-Tsvangirai, and a friendly wave may therefore be misinterpreted.”

But Mr Pantlin has won the support of Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith, who said: “Richard is a very brave man and I hope it is not foolhardy.

“I know that he really cares about Zimbabwe and its future.”

Zimbabwean Embassy, London spokesman Ndudzo Tugwete said: “It is perfectly safe to cycle through Zimbabwe.

“The presidential offices are in Harare and normal protocol would be to go through the ministry of foreign affairs.

“If the president has got space in his diary then he could be given an audience.”