THE relentless rasp of the vuvuzela has become synonymous with this year’s World Cup, but football fans here in Oxford could soon have to deal with a similar earbashing.

Oxford United has confirmed the horns will not be banned from the Kassam Stadium next season, although bosses have promised to monitor the situation.

The news has not been welcomed by Trevor Lambert, of the U’s OxVox supporters trust, who has described them as an abomination.

But other footie fanatics have fallen for the ear- splitting instruments and have been buying them in droves.

John Irvin Jr, 25, whose family has sold tourist gifts at their stall in St Ebbe’s Street for 27 years, said they had ordered in vuvuzelas as soon as they saw how popular they had become in South Africa.

He said: “We sold 100 on Thursday, on Friday we sold 150, and 200 on Saturday. English people, foreigners, old people, school kids, they are all buying them.

“I’m sure they will be on the terraces in England next season, at least until people get bored of them.”

He said a consignment of longer, hard plastic vuvuzelas, favoured by World Cup fans in South Africa, was currently in customs, and should be on sale at the stall within a fortnight.

Simon Davey, at Toys R Us, Botley Road, said people had started buying the horns as soon as the World Cup kicked off on June 11, while Sainsbury’s Heyford Hill store has already sold out, with customers telephoning the supermarket every day for them.

Georgina Hall, of Lidl in Watlington Road, said: “There has been a huge demand for our vuvuzelas since the World Cup started, so much so that we have had to re-stock.

“They have been flying off the shelves. We knew that they were a phenomenon in South Africa and they are proving to be a massive hit here too. Everyone wants to get their hands on one.”

The incessant trumpet blast, which together sounds like a swarm of bees, have divided football fans across the world.

Many say it has ruined the experience of watching football, drowning out terrace chants and television commentary. Others say it is the latest development in a long history of fans’ antics, alongside wooden rattles and Mexican waves.

Oxford United spokesman Chris Williams confirmed there would be no policy on stopping fans bringing vuvuzelas to the ground.

Mr Lambert said: “I think they are an abomination and very naff, but I do not see a massed choir of vuvuzelas at the Kassam as very likely.”

  • Oxford City Council told the Oxford Mail that it had not received any noise complaints about people blowing them in the city.