Thame Valley police and crime commissioner Matthew Barber highlighted the activities of neighbourhood police officers who intervened at the shopping centre.

South and Vale officers for Thames Valley Police stated at the end of March: “We’ve issued banning letters to a number of young people involved in antisocial behaviour within stores.

“Please keep reporting this to us, retail spaces should be enjoyable for everyone – not an obstacle course.”

A police banning letter bans an individual from entering specific premises, often shops, for a set period – usually six to 12 months.

The banning letters are often served to combat shoplifting, antisocial behaviour, or threats. It is not known which shops were affected.

Mocky Khan (Image: Oxford Mail)

South Oxfordshire district councillor Mocky Khan, who represents Didcot South and is a former town mayor, has now welcomed police issuing the banning letters.

He said: “It’s very important that our shop staff feel safe, so when there is antisocial behaviour in the Orchard Centre security staff and police do need to take appropriate action.

“Some young people are hanging around the shopping centre and at fast food restaurants because they feel like they don’t have anything else to do.

“The Edmonds Park sports pavilion has been improved and we need to continue with that kind of investment in facilities which young people can use.

“If young people are congregating, or are in a group, that shouldn’t be a concern but if antisocial behaviour is happening in shops then I back police taking appropriate action.”

The Orchard Centre in Didcot (Image: Oxford Mail)

Mr Khan said he wanted independent shops in Broadway to thrive, as well as chain stores in the Orchard Centre.

He added: “I want to see any empty units at the Orchard Centre to be filled, and for the Broadway to be busy too – they are both employing local people.”

The councillor said he was pleased that a parking issue affecting shoppers at the Orchard Centre has now been resolved.

Last year, the centre announced it would be introducing parking charges for anyone using the car park after 7pm Monday to Saturday and any time on Sundays, after two free hours, at the end of August.

Olly Glover, MP for Didcot and Wantage, had discussions with the centre’s parking management following “confusion” raised by customers over the new charges and payment arrangements.

The shopping centre then agreed to reverse the introduction of the evening charges on the 875-space car park, which is controlled by an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera.

The Orchard Centre doubled in size in 2018 in a £50m expansion, which added more than 20 new shops including an M&S foodhall and clothing brand TK Maxx.

Last year, Mountain Warehouse moved to a larger retail premises and the centre welcomed the arrival of Hotel Chocolat.

Cardzone featuring Thornton’s closed in January.

Thames Valley Police officers arrested the man after ‘suspicious behaviour’ caught their attention on Friday.

The 23-year-old was arrested in Denchworth Road, Wantage, on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

A statement issued by Thames Valley Police on Saturday morning said: “Yesterday (April 10), our officers stopped a male on Denchworth Road, Wantage, posing as a food delivery rider after suspicious behaviour caught our attention.

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A bike was seized by Thames Valley Police in Wantage (Image: TVP)

“That instinct paid off — during a search we recovered 16 wraps of cocaine and over £1,000 in cash. All seized.

“A 23‑year‑old man from outside the area was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.”

Police also gave a description of county line drug dealing and what they are doing to prevent it.

A spokesperson said: “It’s when organised drug networks from big cities push into smaller towns, exploiting vulnerable people to move drugs and money. It brings violence, fear and exploitation into communities that deserve better.

“This is one of several arrests we’ve made recently. Every time county lines tries to creep into Wantage, we’ll be there — and we’ll stop them.

“A huge thank‑you to our fantastic colleagues from Abingdon and Faringdon Neighbourhood Policing Teams for backing us up. Teamwork keeps our communities safe.”

They organised a jumble sale to raise money and help birds and animals owned by other families.

The two 12-year-olds went round to friends to collect jumble and cast-offs and ‘opened shop’ at Deborah’s home in Snowdon Mede, off Headley Way, at Headington, Oxford.

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They were determined to collect as much money as they could for the RSPCA.

They typed out notices, posted them through doors, stuck one in a local shop and told all their friends.

The forthcoming sale also became a hot topic at their schools – Deborah was a pupil at Northway School and Rosalind went to Cheney School.

There was a steady stream of customers when they unveiled all their goodies one Saturday morning.

As you can see, Oxford Mail photographer Johnny Johnson was also there to take pictures.

Anything left over at the end of the day was given to the RSPCA for sale in its shops and other outlets.

The girls later handed over the proceeds of their efforts – the grand total of £5 1s 4d – it was the 1960s.

Both had an assortment of pets at home – Deborah looked after a cat, dog and tortoise and Rosalind had a tortoise, two fish, a budgerigar and four rabbits.

Johnny Johnson’s greatest moment of fame in his long career as an Oxford Mail photographer came when he shot a wolf.

It was one of three that escaped from Oxford Zoo at Kidlington in 1937.

Two were quickly rounded up and killed, but the third roamed the countryside for days, causing panic in the community.