SHOPPERS gathered in Oxford’s main shopping street today to see a group of unemployed men push a mirrored bus.

The county council took buses out of Cornmarket Street 10 years ago, but artist Sislej Shafa brought one back, with contemporary artwork Elegant Sick Bus.

At 3pm, five unemployed men pushed the four-tonne Mercedes bus from the George Street junction to Carfax.

The stunt was part of Modern Art Oxford’s new exhibition Transmission Interrupted, which runs from today until June 21.

Frances Arnold, a spokesman for the Pembroke Street gallery, said the bus-push was designed to reflect the replacement of manufacturing in Oxford with tourism.

Shopper Matt Boyle, 27, from Banbury, said: “I have never seen a mirror-covered bus in Cornmarket before, although I did once see a jeep covered in fake gems when I was in Cape Town.”

Ms Arnold said the artwork would be parked near the Malmaison hotel at the Oxford Castle site off New Road until the end of the exhibition.