Teenagers from four inner London boroughs sampled student life in Oxford on Saturday on a visit to the University's Hertford College.

Prominent academics, including the college's principal, Sir Walter Bodmer, and the poet in residence, Jamie McKendrick, provided entertaining lectures for the 180 young visitors on subjects ranging from nuclear physics, forensic geography and early English.

The group also toured the college, including the genetics, geography and zoology departments, and took part in a treasure hunt.

The visit was part of the Excellence in Cities initiative set up to encourage wider access to higher education for pupils from London boroughs.