It looks a mighty precarious structure. But these youngsters showed no fear as they showed off their magnificent Guy Fawkes' Night bonfire.

Huge tree trunks and other burnable debris had been collected and piled high.

This picture was taken at the south end of Abingdon Road Oxford, on October 31, 1975 - six days before Bonfire Night - so no doubt more material arrived in the meantime.

The lad giving a cheery wave at the top of the heap was probably saying: "I'm the King of the Bonfire."

He and his fellow bonfire builders were no doubt hoping to see their handiwork disappear with a right royal bang.

That year, bonfire celebrations - marking the day in 1605 when Guy Fawkes and other conspirators tried to blow up Parliament - went off peacefully. But that hasn't always been the case in Oxford.

For many years in the 1950s the city was plagued with Bonfire Night mayhem, with often riotous behaviour between town and gown.

University students and city youths would clash frequently with running battles in the streets and police struggling to keep control.

One particular prank was t steal a policeman's helmet as a trophy One of the rowdiest Bonfir Nights occurred in 1954 when police charged eight people wit assault and summonsed 96 fo r throwing fireworks.

What some people claimed were high spirits was turning into something ugly.