Breaking - Police have been called to oversee pop-up booster jab centre in Banbury as hundreds attempt to get a third Covid vaccination

The queue at the pop-up Covid booster site stretches down the car park towards Bretch Hill

Traffic at the site - the Edmunds Road car park next to Bradley Arcade on Bretch Hill - was gridlocked and it is understood local councillor Cllr Mark Cherry called police to oversee the situation. Police are prioritising the request.

It is understood the queue started well before 9am for a clinic start at 10am. However because the driver of the vaccination transport was reportedly ill, the session has been delayed by an hour.

The Banbury Guardian was told the 120 slots were quickly filled and people are being turned away.

10.35am - Staff from Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group are still setting up the booster delivery site

News of the mobile clinic spread of social media yesterday (Saturday) across Facebook, Twitter and What'sApp groups in the towns and villages of the district.

The enthusiastic take-up is not unexpected. Residents have been calling on social media for a full-time vaccination clinic to serve the large population of Banbury, who to now have been having to travel as far as Oxford and Stoneleigh for their boosters.

One woman got to the site at 9.05am and took the last parking space in the small car park.

"I feel very sorry for the poor woman who's going along the queue apologising profusely to people for the wait. Apparently it's a mobile unit coming up from the Kassam Stadium and the driver was ill so they've been late leaving after an alternative was found," she said.