With temperatures remaining high this weekend (Saturday, July 18 – Sunday, July 19), the service is urging residents to resist the temptation to swim in rivers, lakes, or flooded decommissioned quarries.

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Chinnor Quarry is a prime example of a body of water that is dangerous.

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“It looks appealing but hidden dangers and deep waters are lethal. There are steep drops and contaminants in the waters.”

Its advice comes after a string of open-water swimming deaths across the UK this summer

The BBC has reported that there have been at least 29 deaths in open water across the UK since the spell of record-breaking hot weather, which began in May.

Chinnor Quarry (Image: Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service)

This includes the tragic death of 14-year-old boy Baltazar L’Quy in the River Thames on the evening of Wednesday, May 27, close to Donnington Bridge.

As such the fire service has advised the public to stay out of open water, adding that the safest place to swim is in a supervised swimming pool.

The service also warned residents to avoid being near water if they have been drinking alcohol and advised parents to warn their children of the risks and know where they are when they are out playing.

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The dangers of cold open water were also highlighted, including cold-water shock which can affect breathing.

“Half of all people who drown never intended to enter the water,” added the fire service spokesperson.

They also advised people to call 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service if they see someone else in difficulties in water.

O2 has switched on its upgraded 5G+ standalone network across Oxford, Banbury, and Didcot as part of Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan.

Up to 450,000 residents in Oxfordshire, spanning 495 towns, villages, and hamlets, stand to benefit from improved speeds, greater reliability, and reduced latency after the next generation network was activated on Thursday, July 16.

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Professor Robert Joyce, director of mobile access engineering at O2, said: “Our upgraded 5G+ network is now available across Oxfordshire, bringing faster, more reliable connectivity to one of the UK’s leading centres for innovation, education, and tourism.

“Whether exploring the county’s historic attractions, commuting between towns, or working within Oxfordshire’s science and technology sector, people rely on mobile connectivity more than ever.

“Through our Mobile Transformation Plan, we’re continuing to invest in our network to deliver a better experience for customers, while building the digital infrastructure needed to support future innovation.”

A mast used for 5G mobile coverage (Image: O2)

The upgrade supports Oxfordshire’s academic institutions and growing science and technology sectors, allowing businesses, students, and educators to remain competitive and connected, says the company.

The O2 5G+ network covers Oxford, Banbury, Abingdon, Bicester, Witney, Didcot, Carterton, Kidlington, Henley-on-Thames, Thame, Wantage, and Farringdon.

The improved coverage also aims to support visitor connectivity during the busy summer season.

In addition, O2 say it will underpin ongoing innovation and support economic growth in a region already recognised for its contributions to science, technology, and research.

Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan includes upgrades to masts, small cells, 4G and 5G infrastructure, automation, and spectrum deployment.

O2 shop in Woolgate Centre in Witney (Image: O2)

The company’s 5G+ network now reaches more than 85 per cent of the UK population with a further major upgrade planned for 2026.

Customers in upgraded areas such as Oxfordshire can access the 5G+ network at no additional cost, provided they have a compatible device and plan and an up-to-date SIM.

Some users may need to switch to a digital eSIM.

All cities, towns, and villages included in Virgin Media O2’s 5G+ programme rollout now have at least 90 per cent 5G+ standalone outdoor coverage.

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This announcement comes after a number of recent attempts to improve mobile coverage across Oxfordshire and the surrounding areas.

In 2025 this included a scheme designed at harnessing street lighting to improve connectivity.

The plan saw small cell technology integrated into street lighting to transform urban infrastructure into a scalable, multi-operator wireless network.

The project was a collaboration between Cornerstone, a mobile infrastructure services company, Signify, a lighting company, and Dense Air, a neutral host platform provider.

Britwell Salome Farm Shop, on Red Lion Farm in Watlington, was given a one-star rating by South Oxfordshire District Council environmental health officers following a routine visit in January this year.

The farm shop has now confirmed they received the poor rating after not confirming to new allergy legislation, Natasha’s Law, and paperwork issues.

Natasha’s Law is a landmark UK food safety regulation that requires all food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and highlight allergens on packaging for foods Pre-Packed for Direct Sale (PPDS).

The law is named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, the 15-year-old who tragically died in 2016 after suffering a severe allergic reaction to a Pret-a-Manger baguette that contained hidden sesame seeds.

Prior to this law, foods prepared and packaged on the exact same premises from which they were sold, like farm shops, were legally exempt from displaying ingredient labels on their packaging.

Restaurants and bars can regularly receive a poor food hygiene rating because inspectors cannot see enough evidence of safe food management.

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The team at Britwell Salome Farm Shop, left to right are master butcher Martin Piddington, Jake Howard, co-owner Julia Mearns, shop manager Amanda Saunders, and Wayne Anderson (Image: Julia Mearns)

A spokesperson for Britwell Salome Farm Shop said: “We are writing this due to negative comments we have seen and been told about and want to bring you all up to date.

“In January we had a spot EHO inspection.

“We were marked down to one star due to not conforming to new allergy legislation- Natasha’s Law and some other paperwork issues.

“We immediately invested over £3000 in new compliant scales which list all ingredients/ allergens.

“The paperwork is now updated and we have all renewed our Food Safety & Hygiene certificates.

“We followed her advice and guidance and on the inspectors follow up visit in April she was more than happy with our improvements and implied we were now a 4 star.

“We work hard to provide and maintain the highest standards and thank you for your continued support.”

The farm shop was previously handed a five out of five rating in July 2024.

Last month Britwell Salome Farm Shop was named ‘local food and drink champions’ for the south east in the Countryside Alliance Awards 2026.

Ms Mearns said her family, including herself, her husband and their three children, set up at Red Lion Farm in 1993 and took over the chilled unit in the barn when it became vacant in 2008, to begin selling the farm’s meat, including pork, beef and lamb, directly to customers, from field to fork.

The shop also stocks a large selection of other locally produced food, from seasonal fruit and veg from a farm in Stanton St John to local honey from the village, jams and preserves which raise money for Oxford homeless charity Porch, as well as bread baked fresh in Thame.