The Northern Bypass Road was closed heading westbound after Headington Roundabout from about 3am on Wednesday morning (May 27), while police dealt with a serious emergency incident.

A significant emergency response was seen on the road, with all traffic blocked from the westbound carriageway and the exit and entry slip roads at Marsh Lane until the afternoon.

READ MORE: Oxford: Man died in major police incident on A40 ring road

Thames Valley Police confirmed a man in his 20s died following reports of a fear for welfare incident, which occurred shortly after 2.45am.

Photos from the A40 near Headington after a fatal incident in the early hours of May 27 (Image: Matthew Evans)

A spokesperson for the force said: “Emergency services attended but sadly a man aged in his 20s was pronounced deceased at the scene.

“His death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

“His family have been informed and are being supported.”

Eyewitness Doug Lloyd, who saw forensic experts sweeping the scene nearby after the incident, said: “It was very quickly quite obvious to me that this was a very serious incident.

Photos from the A40 near Headington after a fatal incident in the early hours of Wednesday. Picture: Doug Lloyd (Image: Contributed)

“A blue police ‘crime scene’ tent and ‘crime scene’ investigators were visible just below the bridge over the A40 at Marsh Lane.

“The police presence was significant and they were doing a great job of securing the scene and ensuring the traffic kept moving as much as possible considering the circumstances.

“Motorists were being forced to turn around on the slip road off the A40 at Marsh Lane and re-join the dual carriageway.

Photos from the A40 near Headington after a fatal incident in the early hours of May 27 (Image: Matthew Evans)

“It’s devastating to hear that a young man has lost his life and my thoughts go out to his family and friends.”

READ MORE: A34 closure announced for junction slip roads scheme

Oxford Labour councillor Susanna Pressel also voiced her condolences.

Councillor Susanna Pressel (Image: Oxford City Council)

She said: “It’s very sad to hear about the death of this young man. My heart goes out to his family and friends at this awful time.”

Questions have been raised over whether Oxfordshire County Council should retrospectively suspend the congestion charge on Marston Ferry Road, which was active between 6am and 9am while the road was closed.

The council said it is ‘looking into’ the possibility of retrospectively suspending the morning’s charges, but has not confirmed at this stage.

Ms Pressel added: “It must have been grim for the hundreds of people stuck in traffic jams, especially if they were on their way to the hospital. I hope diversions were set up quickly.

“I think the county council should have suspended the congestion charge in Marston Ferry Road, if this is part of the diversion route.

Photos from the A40 near Headington after a fatal incident in the early hours of May 27 (Image: Cathy Sheldon)

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“However, the party that currently runs the council will probably not agree with me.

“At least that congestion charge point operates only from 6am to 9am and from 3pm to 6 pm, so many of the diverted drivers will not be affected, and it charges only £5.

“Pressure on the council to suspend the charge in emergencies such as this will be far greater later this year when the congestion charge is replaced by the traffic filters, as the charge then will be £35 if paid within 14 days.”

The John Radcliffe Hospital was contacted for comment on the impact of the road closure.

The Oxford Bus Museum unveiled its fully restored 1948 Morris 10 Series M in Long Hanborough on Bank Holiday Monday, May 25.

The car was first registered on 31 March 1948 before it was transferred into the ownership of Dennis Flowers, who lived near Coventry, on June 10, 1961.

Twenty years later, the Flowers family donated the vehicle to the Coventry Transport Museum, from which the Morris Motors Museum acquired it in December 2011.

An Oxford Bus Museum spokesman said: “It is fitting that Ellen and Joanne Flowers were passengers when the car drove out of the workshop.”

The restoration project was extensive, including a complete engine rebuild, new clutch assembly, chrome replating, and full reupholstering of the seats.

The Morris 10 Series M first launched in September 1938 and was a landmark 10hp model featuring a 1,140cc four-cylinder engine and innovative mono-construction design.

The museum, located at Old Station Yard, celebrates 130 years of bus and coach travel in Oxfordshire.

It houses historic vehicles, horse-drawn vehicles, and a wide selection of public transport artefacts.

Since 2004, the Morris Motors Museum has also shared the site, telling the story of classic British motoring and commercial vehicle production in Cowley.

The Long Hanborough museum is 65 metres from Hanborough Railway Station on the Cotswold line and is served by Stagecoach’s S7 bus route, which operates every 30 minutes between Oxford and Witney.

The site offers free parking, a café, and a play area, making it accessible for visitors of all ages.

Around 20 land and air emergency vehicles were responding to reports of a “person in difficulty in the water”, according to Thames Valley Police, Oxford.

Eyewitnesses said seven police cars and a helicopter were first seen on Donnington Bridge shortly after 6pm on Wednesday, May 27.

Mass emergency police presence on Donnington Bridge (Image: Zoe Broughton)

Officers were spotted on the span overlooking the water, watching Oxford University Boat Club’s Summer Eights ‘bumps’ races on the Isis, before the situation appeared to escalate and more vehicles arrived.

Four police officers on Donnington Bridge (Image: Zoe Broughton)

Boat racing concluded at around 6.52pm, according to commentary, and shortly afterwards rowers and spectators were asked to move away from the bridge, riverbanks and the Longbridges boathouse area as the emergency response intensified.

READ MORE: Oxford – large police presence at Donnington Bridge

Witnesses said college crews that had already passed Donnington Bridge towards the start by Iffley Lock were not allowed to row home.

By about 8.30pm, one crew was still stranded in its boat near Iffley Lock while others had left their boats and were waiting to be picked up near Donnington Bridge.

Police helicopter seen circling over the River Thames near Donnington Bridge (Image: Zoe Broughton)

A commenter on the Oxford Mail’s Facebook page claimed there were around 20 emergency vehicles at the scene, on the ground and in the air, including 11 police cars, four fire engines, two ambulance trucks, two ambulance cars and a helicopter.

There have also been multiple eyewitness reports suggesting a water search has taken place, although this has not yet been confirmed by the authorities.

Traffic data from AA Traffic News showed Donnington Bridge was closed while the alleged operation was under way, but by about 7.30pm the service reported it had reopened.

An anonymous eyewitness on their way home from work said a fire engine and four police cars were still on the bridge, as officers spoke to people and asked cyclists to dismount and walk.

Fire crew near Iffley Lock (Image: Kevin Brackett)

Downstream near Iffley Lock, at around 8.30pm, Kevin Brackett, who had been filming Oriel College with a drone at the event, reported seeing around six emergency vehicles, including police, ambulance and fire crews, positioned near Mill Lane.

Ambulance near Iffley Lock (Image: Kevin Brackett)

Summer Eights, a four‑day bumps racing event organised by Oxford University Rowing Club, began today and is due to run until Saturday, May 30.

In this style of racing, boats start in single file along the river and each crew attempts to “bump” the boat in front while avoiding being bumped from behind, drawing large crowds of students, alumni and locals to the towpath.

Thames Valley Police has been contacted for a comment.