HEAVY snow gave Abingdon traders an unexpected boost after it stopped Christmas shoppers leaving the town.

One business leader described the weather as “ a gift from the sky for Abingdon”.

Many shopkeepers said sales and footfall had been better than expected on Saturday and Sunday as people were forced to do all their shopping locally.

Phil May, owner of cafe Throwing Buns in Market Square, said: “We thought it would have affected us adversely and people would not come into town, but we have been extremely busy.

“We’ve had our busiest Sunday since we opened and Saturday was extremely busy as well.

“Lots of people said they’re going to have to do all their Christmas shopping in Abingdon as they are not willing or able to go to Oxford.”

Carol Ross, owner of the Beyond Bubbles soap shop in Stert Street, said: “People who came in on Saturday said they were waiting for buses and gave up and decided to buy here.”

Meanwhile, Mostly Books owner, Mark Thornton, said the Stert Street store had less visitors from outside the town, but more from inside Abingdon.

He said: “People can’t go out to outside shopping centres like Bicester Village. We’ve had people in saying they are not venturing out and they are going to get all their Christmas presents in Abingdon.”

Choose Abingdon Partnership manager Heather Brown said: “It is a gift from the sky for Abingdon.”

However, other towns did not fare so well. Lesley Semaine, chairman of Witney Chamber of Commerce, said: “This weather has not done us any favours. I’ve heard from restaurants out of town that they have had to close for the whole weekend.

“Retailers out of town have also suffered terribly, and for some businesses its been an absolutely devastating.”