Oxford News
Jeremy Clarkson shares picture of ‘annoying’ solar eclipse
The Clarkson’s Farm star was not alone in heading out to catch a glimpse of the rare astronomical event on Wednesday night (August 8).
In the most significant solar eclipse since 1999, the moon blocked the light of around 92 per cent over West Oxfordshire, the home of the former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter.
READ MORE: The best pictures of the solar eclipse from Oxfordshire
But like many, Mr Clarkson found viewing the eclipse harder than it may seem, without special-grade eclipse glasses which became as rare as gold dust in the run up to the event.
Sharing a picture of a bright white blob of a sun across his fields in Chadlington, near Chipping Norton, the TV presenter-turned-farmer wrote a comical caption.
He said: “So annoying. We didn’t get the eclipse in Chipping Norton.”
READ MORE: Five days of rain to break Oxfordshire heatwave next week
Hundreds of fans could relate to the disappointment they read into Clarkson’s sarcastic review of the event, many of whom were also unable to secure the proper glasses and were left with makeshift forms of eclipse viewing.
Phone cameras provided a limited view of the astrological event, often being unable to focus with any accuracy on the moon passing in front of the sun.
The nearly two-hour event began at about 6.15pm on Wednesday night, with the maximum coverage of the sun peaking at about 7.15pm, when the sky darkened and the temperature dropped, before the sun was uncovered again at about 7.50pm.
OXFORD Mail Camera Club members have been taking photos of their dogs
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The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between Junction 6 for Lewknor and Junction 5 for Watlington in the late morning on Saturday, August 29.
The emergency services attended the scene and closed the road,
National Highways said lanes two and three of the three-lane motorway were shut as a result while crews dealt with the incident, leading to delays of around 40 minutes.
Congestion was worsened by separate lane closures between Junctions 4 and 5 in both directions following damage to the central reservation from an earlier incident.
Traffic built up on approaches to the crash, with nearby areas including Stokenchurch and Lewknor also affected.
Images from traffic cameras showed long queues of vehicles and emergency workers at the scene throughout the afternoon.
AA Travel also reported that one lane was closed on the northbound carriageway between Handy Cross and Stokenchurch due to emergency repairs.
National Highways later confirmed that all southbound lanes between Junctions 6 and 5 had reopened and that the lane closures linked to the earlier incident were also being removed.
Despite the reopening, delays of around 40 minutes remained on the approach as traffic slowly returned to normal.
The closure affects the route between the A420 and Coxwell Road near Great Coxwell to allow for carriageway widening and the construction of a new signal-controlled junction.
The closure, in effect 24 hours a day, will begin on September 7, 2026, and is expected to remain in place until April 16, 2027.
An alternative route will be signposted via the A420, London Street, Coxwell Street, and Coxwell Road.
The order, issued by Oxfordshire County Council under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, will remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.
Exemptions are included for emergency vehicles, and signage will be in place to advise drivers of the closure.
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