An experiment in staging a village church fete on the May Bank Holiday Monday proved its worth for Launton.

The Rev Margaret Mullins, team vicar of the Bicester area team ministry with special responsibilities for Launton and Bucknell, said: "We were going to hold the fete at Manor Farm on the Spring Bank Holiday at the end of the month. As that was moved to become the Golden Jubilee Bank Holiday we chose the earlier date instead, and it paid off. We raised £2,501 for church funds, which is about our second best total."

She added: "It was the Launton twinning weekend with Gavray in France, so there were quite a few people in France who would normally have been in the village."

The fete included floral art and photographic competitions and the church tower was open, so people to have a go at ringing the bells.

Ashley Banks, four, is pictured behind the wheel of Jacques Villeneuve's F1 car.