Oxfordshire weekly round-up: 27 April - 3 May 2024

The Oxford tradition attracts thousands to the city centre at daybreak

A story about Oxford's May Morning celebration was among our most read this week in Oxfordshire.

A variety of local issues were featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Oxford and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

RAF jet carrying toy giraffes raises money for charity

A plane full of hundreds of toy giraffes has taken to the skies for the second year.

Last year, the RAF Voyager aircraft took off with 291 giraffes occupying its passenger seats.

Now, crews have increased that number, taking 500 of the cuddly toys into the air from RAF Brize Norton.

The plane was taking part in an air-to-air refuelling mission.

Prisoners tell children 'think before you act'

Former prisoner, Jumoke Brewster, volunteers for the Getting Court charity

A project designed to deter children from being drawn into gangs, drugs and knife crime is aiming to expand across the Thames Valley and Hampshire.

Getting Court was launched in Oxfordshire in 2015 to give young people first-hand experience of the criminal justice system.

The charity facilitates visits to court hearings and HMP Huntercombe, and organises for serving prisoners on day release to give talks in schools.

It is now expanding its services to its neighbouring counties - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.

Thousands rise early for May Morning celebrations

Morris dancers entertained the crowds

More than 14,000 people gathered in Oxford to celebrate May Morning.

Crowds lined the High Street and Magdalen Bridge from 06:00 BST to hear the bells ring and a Latin hymn sung by the college choir from the top of Magdalen College tower.

Morris dancing, folk singing and tree costumes are all part of the celebrations which date back more than 500 years.

Roads in the city centre reopened at 09:00 following the festivities.

Grandad proud of BGT golden buzzer recipient Ravi Adelekan

Ravi Adelekan performed A Million Dreams with his family and supporters

The grandfather of a nine-year-old boy with a brain tumour who sang on Britain's Got Talent has described him as "unflappable".

Ravi Adelekan relearned to walk and feed himself after doctors were unable to remove all of the benign tumour from his brain stem.

On Sunday he performed A Million Dreams on the show, prompting judge Alesha Dixon to award him the golden buzzer.

Grandad Alfie Hays was among 50 supporters who sang with him.

Abbey Road Studios to play host to next KITE Festival

KITE Festival blends live music with "discussion of social, political and technological ideas"

An "ideas and music" festival has announced it is relocating to Abbey Road Studios.

KITE Festival launched at the Grade II-listed Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire in 2022, with its second event taking place there last year.

But organisers said this year it would be based at the world-famous studios in London instead.

Planning was "already under way" for a return to Oxfordshire in 2025, they added.

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