FOLLOWING comments on social media about the presence of a man wearing a mask and carrying an axe in the vicinity of a Thame school, local community police officers have checked out the reports and concluded that the claims were a hoax. Today they wrote to Lord Williams’s School in Thame, with the following statement:

“THAMES Valley Police has received a considerable number of calls from concerned parents in the Thame area regarding reports of a male wearing a mask and carrying an axe outside various Thame schools; Lord Williams School in particular.

We’d like to take this opportunity to reassure parents and students that these reports are completely false. It appears to have been a story being told around the school by the students which has been exaggerated every time it has been passed on and then amplified over social media.

Several children have admitted to making up or spreading the rumours, and the Force has spent considerable time speaking with the students involved and reassuring parents that the whole story is in fact a hoax.

Despite there being absolutely no cause for alarm, we will continue our reassurance patrols in the Thame area. Officers have also attended the schools to speak with students and teachers on how to report concerns to the police. Any suspicious activity or community concerns can always be reported to Thames Valley Police on 101 where they will be taken seriously, and in an emergency situation please call 999.

Finally, please can I take this opportunity to ask that you have a conversation with your child/children to remind them of the seriousness of wasting police time. Time spent investigating false reports is valuable time lost in dealing with real crime.”

Kind Regards
Lucie ROBERTS | Constable 7289 | Neighbourhood Policing Team

20/01/14  CORRECTION: THAME Town Councillors voted AGAINST a recommendation to have the election count carried out centrally at Abingdon, after a long discussion about  whether the count for the local elections in May, should take place within the town, or carried out in Abingdon, at the same time as the count for the General and district elections.

South Oxfordshire District Council, which is responsible for organising and over-seeing elections, has recommended that the Thame local elections counting of votes happens in Abingdon but some town councillors think that it would be more democratic and succesful if it were to happen here in the town.

Back in 2011 the count for the election was described as ‘a shambles’ after 2,000 residents were rendered illegible to take part in the elections for new district councillors, and for the Alternative Vote referendum, because they did not receive voting papers. The Chief Executive of South Oxfordshire District Council, David Buckle, forfeited his fee as Returning Officer after being personally criticised for his part in the organisation. See: LINK https://www.thame.net/archives/7215

The counts for town/parish elections are more complex and time consuming due to the number of potential candidates and are undertaken in alphabetical order if counted centrally. If the responsibility for the count is devolved to local town and parish councils, the process will be completed more quickly and the results will be known sooner than if the count is done centrally. But there would be a cost to the local councils if they oversaw the counts.

At its meeting on Tuesday, January 13, Thame Town Council agreed to ask SODC for more details about the possible costs to Thame, and the surrounding villages who would share the cost, if the count was to take place locally, although it was pointed out by Cllr David Bretherton, who is also a District Councillor,  that the total costs cannot be not known until after the event.

UPDATE –  It has been reported that gas canisters have been found at two addresses searched by police and that a search is continuing in a property associated with the man in custody.

A 47-year-old man from the Wallingford area was arrested this morning in Roke Marsh on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He is currently in police custody.

Nobody has been reported injured at this time as a result of these fires, however the structures of the buildings affected are being searched and examined for safety.

Approximately 30 people were evacuated from properties neighbouring the building which was set alight in Roke Marsh. They were evacuated to a nearby centre in the village and are being supported by members of the British Red Cross.

Thames Valley Police received intelligence that there were gas canisters on scene and so the MOD has sent the bomb disposal squad to the location in Benson Lane as a precautionary measure.

Supt Andy Boyd, LPA Commander for South and Vale said: “We are working with the Fire Service and the South Oxfordshire District Council as we investigate these fires and the motivation behind the arson.

“We believe they were not random and would like to reassure the public that they are not believed to be terrorist-related nor do we believe there is any likelihood of further danger to the public at this stage.

“We would like to thank the public for their support and patience while the emergency services carry out our work at the scenes.”

Officers were called at 3.24am to Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford where a fire was reported in Benson Lane. At 3.41am officers were called to a third fire at a property in Quakers Corner, Roke Marsh.

THAMES Valley Police is currently investigating two other fires in Wallingford area, as well as that at the offices of South Oxfordshire District Council, which they believe was started deliberately, about 3am this morning.

Officers were called at 3.24am to Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford where a fire was reported at South Oxfordshire District Council building and another at a nearby commercial property (a Funeral Parlour). At 3.41am officers were called to a third fire at a property (a thatched cottage) in Quakers Corner, Roke Marsh.

A police spokesperson said: “At this stage the police investigation is focusing on all three fires being linked and are believed to be suspicious. It is believed that a vehicle collided with the SODC building prior to the fire.

“There are cordons in place at all three locations and residents and motorists are asked to avoid these areas.

“Nobody has been reported injured at this time as a result of these fires, however following these fires the structures of the buildings affected are being examined for safety.”

It has been widely reported that a vehicle containing gas cylinders was driven into the front reception area of the council building. Bomb disposal technicians have been examining the building, which is no longer blazing.

A 47-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and is currently in custody.

SODC’s website is currently down, but they have set up an emergency site, which includes the latest information about which services are expected to be affected and contact details. https://southandvalecouncils.wordpress.com/2015/01/15/latest-update-from-south-oxfordshire-and-vale-of-white-horse-district-councils/

LATEST UPDATE from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, explaining which services are affected: https://southandvalecouncils.wordpress.com/

EMERGENCY Services currently fighting a serious blaze at the office of South Oxfordshire District Council in Crowmarsh. The council’s website is down. more details from the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-30826330

For emergency assistance, the council can be contacted at:  01235 520202