A new statue of Jesus made by a local artist has replaced one stolen by thieves last year.

In April, 2007, a 4ft-high wooden statue of Jesus - which had stood in the churchyard of St Thomas the Martyr in Becket Street for more than 100 years - vanished.

Now, thanks to the generosity of one family within the congregation and the hard work of local artist and craftsman John Bye, a new figure has been carved.

Father John Hunwicke, who came to the parish after the statue had been stolen, said he was delighted to have the Calvary shrine complete again.

He said: "It really did look rather bad and it has an appearance of neglect, so I was jolly glad when we were able to put it back and it now looks very bright.

"It is really quite a landmark. As you go down St Thomas Street, you see it gleaming as you walk by.

"It seems to me to be an absolutely splendid piece of work."

The cost of the new figure was met by the family and friends of Stella van Gucci, a former parishioner.

Churchwarden Anne Dutton said: "It is wonderful to have the figure back in its place in the churchyard.

"Everybody is absolutely delighted and we all think John Bye has done a marvellous job with the replacement."

She said the shrine had seemed "incomplete" without the carving and added: "We did hope very much at the beginning the old figure would turn up, but it never did.

"I don't know where it has gone, but it has disappeared completely.

"I think it is particularly nice to have the figure carved by a local craftsman and we hope this one will be there for 100 years like the last one, if not longer."

The carving, from limewood, is in the style of the Oberammergau statues, which emanate from Germany.

This statue of Christ in a gilded loincloth is unpainted.

To avoid it vanishing, the cross has been raised to make it more inaccessible to would-be thieves or vandals.

Mr Bye, from North Hinksey Lane, spent months carving the figure after meeting Mrs Dutton by chance in St Giles Church.

He said: "I am retired really, so I don't do many hours a day, but I am very pleased with it. I think it looks good."

The statue will be blessed by Mr Hunwicke after the St Thomas festival service on Sunday, July 6, at 10.30am.