A MILITARY marching band took Oxford shoppers by storm when they descended on Broad Street in a surprise flash mob at the weekend.

Army Reserve band the Waterloo Band and Bugles of the Rifles, based in Abingdon, started their surprise performance by emerging from all corners of the street.

At 2pm on Saturday, buglers positioned on top of Balliol College began playing, summoning fellow band members.

The band of the 7th Battalion the Rifles then treated observers to a 10-minute performance.

Band member Sjt Jackie Mann, who organised the flash mob, said: “It was fantastic – it’s taken us about five months to plan it but it’s definitely been worth it.


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“To be honest, it was hilarious.”

Shoppers were given a heads-up about the surprise in Friday’s Oxford Mail.

Ken Hamp, 84, from Radley saw the tip-off about the performance and readied himself for the display.

He said: “I knew there would be a performance but I wasn’t entirely sure what was going to happen .”