A man has been charged after armed police and a helicopter were called to reports of a “person with a machete making threats” in an Oxfordshire village.

The reports were received by police at around 6.15pm at the junction of Wellington Road and Faringdon Road in Southmoor on Wednesday, June 26.

Shane Loveridge, aged 30, of Maclean Drive, Southmoor, has been charged with one count each of affray and possession of a knife blade or sharp pointed article in a public place on Friday, June 28.

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He appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on the same day and was further remanded for his next hearing at the same court on August 19.

Thames Valley Police said the force recovered a machete from the scene.

Fiona Pocock, who lives in Kingston Bagpuize next to Southmoor, said her initial reaction to the police presence in the area was “somewhat fearful”

“I decided to lock my doors when I heard the police sirens, even though my front door was newly painted and really I’d have preferred it to dry more,” she said.

A Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor parish councillor, who asked to remain anonymous, also said the incident has raised “concern”.

She added not all parish councillors were aware of the incident during a meeting on the night it happened.

The parish councillor said: “The police felt it was necessary to inform us. It is known it was a serious incident, simply because a police helicopter was circling over for so long.

“At a meeting last night, other parish councillors were not aware of what had happened.

“Obviously it is a concern.”