Hundreds of Oxfordshire homes were left without electricity on Boxing Day after an overhead power line near Chinnor developed a fault.

Dennis Kirby, 39, who spent the day with relatives in Chinnor, said: "Exactly the same thing happened on Boxing Day last year. We had to light candles."

The electricity went off at 3.30pm, affecting 372 properties in Chinnor and neighbouring Bledlow Ridge. It was not restored to some homes until 9.20pm.

A spokesman for 24seven, the section of London Electricity which is responsible for maintaining power lines in the area, apologised.

He said it took longer than expected to find the fault.