A drunk woman swimming in the River Thames sparked an emergency service response on a bridge in Oxford.

Police were called to the Folly Bridge in the city after receiving reports of a concern for the woman’s safety at around 3.20pm today (Thursday, August 7).

The woman has since been recovered from the water and is being treated by the South Central Ambulance Service.

READ MORE: Police will 'deal with offenders swiftly’ ahead of Oxford protest tonight

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said: “At around 3.19pm today (Thursday, August 7), we were called to a concern for safety incident at Folly Bridge in Oxford.

“An intoxicated woman had been swimming in the River Thames.

“She has since been recovered and is being supported by South Central Ambulance Service.”

Buses in the city were disrupted and long delays were caused while emergency services dealt with the incident.

A Thames Travel announcement told bus users that the X2 and X32 in and out of the city were affected.

A statement at the time said: “There is an ongoing incident on Folly Bridge, Oxford Emergency Services in attendance.

“As a result, it is causing some disruption to our X2 and X32 services in and out of the city.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

The Folly Bridge, built between 1825 and 1827, connects Abingdon Road and St Aldate's.

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber you will get:      

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website   
  • Advert-light access       
  • Reader rewards       
  • Full access to our app

About the author

Rob is a digital reporter who covers a wide range of topics.

He joined the Oxford Mail in February 2023 having previously been at sister paper The Bucks Free Press for two years. 

Rob completed a Sports Journalism degree before earning his NCTJ Diploma at Darlington College and can be found on X at @RobertFolker.