One of Oxford's largest secondary schools transformed itself into a riot of swirling colour and cultural indulgence to celebrate its fifth annual Taste of Oxford event.

Pupils, teachers and parents enjoyed food, music and fashion after classes at Oxford Community School.

Overseen by enterprise co-ordinator Lee Edwards and international school co-ordinator Karina Mayer, more than 200 pupils and 50 members of the community came along.

Mr Edwards said: "It's a real celebration of the diversity within the school.

"The event has been growing each year and this year was probably one of the better ones. It was excellent and the kids had a great time. It's a social event, but it's also an enlightening one.

"Children are made aware of other foods and the way different families dress.

"People brought in all sorts of different costumes for the fashion show.

"It's about trying to educate students how the world is getting smaller and the event is taken in good spirit."

Families and friends enjoyed dishes from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and a traditional cake from Lithuania made from filo pastry and dripping in syrup.

But England was not forgotten - tea was served, too.

Mr Edwards added: "It was a bit of an experiment this year. We had three sixth-form students organising the event as part of their business project.

"They had to organise the whole thing. As teachers, we were more like directors and the organisation was done through the students."

Pupils at the school, in Glanville Road, East Oxford, come from 41 different nationalities.

Of the 1,049 children, just 665 have English as a first language.

A newsletter sent to parents earlier in the year was translated into five other languages - Portuguese, Polish, Albanian, Punjabi and Bengali.

For 22 per cent of students, English is studied as an additional language.