Hundreds of rowers from across the UK took to the water for Oxford's annual regatta on Saturday.

More than 250 crews - made up of between 500 and 600 rowers - raced along a 1,000m stretch of the Thames from Folly Bridge to Long Bridges.

Races took place at two to three-minute intervals throughout the day from 9am until almost 7pm. The event dates back 180 years

Oliver Watkins Regatta chairman Paul Azzopardi, of the City of Oxford Rowing Club, said: "It was a great success. The rowing programme ran extremely smoothly.

"The racing was of a good standard. There were many junior events, which was very exciting because junior rowing is growing in popularity generally - the City of Oxford Rowing Club has got a good squad.

"We have already had phone calls from juniors among the spectators asking us if they can take up rowing."

A static rowing machine competition, open to members of the public, won by Kathryn Stuart, who learned to row at the City of Oxford Club as a junior, and has just returned from the rowing Under 23 World Junior Championships.

There were also races for novice teams from Oxfordshire businesses who trained from scratch to compete in the corporate eights challenge. This was won by the RT Harris 'A' crew, which beat WS Atkins in the final.