Revellers in Oxfordshire saw in the New Year peacefully with police reporting a night of trouble-free celebrations.

Insp Malcolm Haddock, based at Thames Valley Police's Kidlington headquarters, said: "We had a very quiet night with no incidents of note at all. The atmosphere was good-humoured and people were simply out enjoying themselves."

The peaceful start to 2002 came despite Parliament approving measures to allow licensees to stay open for 36 hours from 11am on New Year's Eve until 11pm on January 1.

Ryan Moore, manager of Merton's Bar and Brasserie in High Street, Oxford, said the bar would usually close at 11.30pm on Mondays, but stayed open until 2am on New Year's Day.

Mr Moore said: "The evening was completely trouble-free. I think licensees were reluctant to stay open for 36 hours, partly due to staffing and also because the longer you stay open the more liability there is for trouble."

The last time pubs and bars were allowed extended opening hours was for the Millennium.