Cottsway Housing Association, formed in 2001, has completed its 6,000th property, making it the largest affordable housing provider in West Oxfordshire.

The organisation currently supports more than 13,000 residents across West Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Worcestershire.

Richard Reynolds, chief executive of Cottsway, said: “Over the past 25 years we’ve worked hard to provide high-quality, affordable homes that support individuals, families and communities to thrive.

“We’ve recently marked our 25th anniversary and now reaching 6,000 homes is another significant milestone.

“In 2025-26, we invested £53m in developing more new homes and we have an ambitious development programme to continue growing.”

The 6,000th property is located in Leckhampton, near Cheltenham, and is part of a development that will eventually deliver 140 new homes.

Cottsway is actively working on additional schemes in West Oxfordshire, including Chipping Norton and Charlbury, as well as in other parts of the region such as Wanborough, Highworth, South Marston, and Malmesbury in Wiltshire.

A major site in Brize Meadow, located between Brize Norton and Carterton, is nearing completion and will add 271 new homes to Cottsway’s portfolio.

Mr Reynolds said: “This can only be successful through partnership working and I would like to thank everyone we with work, as well as the communities we work within and serve.”

Barbara Evelyn Mary Lean, now Samuels, turned 100 on April 30 and received a royal birthday card at her home in Abingdon. She plans to open it during a family celebration.

Originally from Horrabridge in Devon, she has lived a long life filled with stories from the past, growing up on Dartmoor with no indoor toilet and drawing water from a well.

Her son, Peter, said: “She loved it and is now looking forward to the family gathering on her actual birthday which is Thursday.

“She was thrilled to receive a birthday card from the king this morning but will open it on her actual birthday.”

A larger celebration was held earlier in the month, with 80 friends and neighbours joining her at The Conservative Club in Abingdon on April 18.

Mrs Samuels later enjoyed a quieter party with family on her birthday at Limoncello restaurant in Abingdon.

She was married to an RAF pilot who trained in the US under the Arnold Scheme and flew a Harvard training plane in Florida before piloting a Mk 5 Spitfire in 1943.

He was eventually shot down in Holland and became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft One on the Baltic coast.

The incident occurred at Bonn Square opposite the Westgate shopping centre at around 2.45pm on Saturday afternoon (May 2).

Traffic, including buses, was at a standstill on Queen Street as police officers parked their vehicles to deal with the incident.

One man could be seen lying on the ground at the St Ebbe’s Street junction with Queen Street, with ambulance crews also attending, which led to a “lockdown” in the area.

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Police vehicles in Queen Street, Oxford (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Following the incident, there were numerous patrol cars parked on Queen Street, and police officers could be seen talking to people in the Bonn Square area.

Members of the public were giving statements with the force approaching shoppers around Westgate and Queen Street, as well as onlookers.

Thames Valley Police has now confirmed that officers received a report of a public order incident in the location.

A man in his 60s was busking in Bon Square when his earnings were taken, and he was subsequently assaulted, says the force.

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People gathering outside Westgate Oxford (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Two men, aged 52 and 41, both of no fixed abode, were both arrested in connection with the incident.

Thames Valley Police say the 52‑year‑old has since received a caution in relation to an assault.

The 41‑year‑old was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and theft and has been released on conditional bail while enquiries continue.

He has now been named as Daniel Webb of no fixed abode and has been charged with five counts of assaulting a police officer.

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Police patrol Bonn Square (Image: Andy Ffrench)

Webb has been remanded to custody to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Monday, May 4).

By about 4pm on Saturday, traffic was returning to normal, although there were still some emergency vehicles at the scene.

One Thames Valley Police officer in Bonn Square said there was now a section 34 dispersal order in place for the square for the next 48 hours.

The order, authorised under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, gives police officers and PCSOs in England and Wales temporary, enhanced powers to direct individuals away from a specified area for up to 48 hours to prevent harassment, distress, or crime.

Thames Valley Police has since confirmed on Sunday evening (May 3) that a section 34 dispersal order was authorised following the incident.