This evening Mr Hemmings Traditional Abingdon Morris Dancers met at the Royal British Legion for the start of winter practises. New members are welcome and by starting now there is the good chance to learn the traditional Abingdon steps before the season starts in earnest in April or May of 2020. 8pm every Monday. Women and men are welcome.

Earlier in the day the Runaway Fair was running. Pre-school children enjoyed the rides during the day. There followed a lot of rain and so the fair was tidied away earlier than in previous years.

It did produce the once in a year experience of buses having to negotiate the tight bend and parked cars and funeral bollards between East and West St Helen Street.

At 11 am this morning a single bell was tolled at St Nicolas Church, and another at St Helen’s Church, Abingdon. This was out of respect for PC Andrew Harper who died from multiple injuries when he was dragged under a van on a road near Sulhamstead, Berkshire, on 15th August. The funeral was today, at 11 am, at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford .

In the window of the Sue Rider charity shop is a tribute to PC Harper.

A police car and two policemen were nearby. People were stopping to say a few words to them about PC Harper who was based at Abingdon Police Station and is well remembered in the town.