OXFORD may be landlocked, but if you go down to the city centre today you could still get a taste of the seaside.

Oxford Castle Quarter is now host to its very own beach, after 24 tonnes of sand were dumped next to The Big Bang restaurant.

Visitors can play volleyball for free, rent deckchairs and eat ice cream on the display until mid-September.

Kirsty Beer, 23, winner of Miss Oxfordshire 2012, was one of the first to get on the volleyball court.

She said: “I think I’ll come and play volleyball here at lot over the summer.”

The beach is the brainchild of Max Mason, 37, owner of local restaurant The Big Bang who said: “I wanted to bring something fun to Oxford – there’s not enough wacky stuff in the city.

“It will also bring more people to the quarter. I’m thoroughly excited.”

Mr Mason, who served in the Royal Navy until 2005, is funding the £20,000 project with the Oxford Castle Quarter, which officially launched on Monday. There are plans for one-off events throughout the summer, including an open cinema screening, a silent disco beach party and fundraising events.

Social enterprise Aspire Oxford helped build the beach over three days, employing a group of former offenders.

The sand is being supplied by BIcester-based Stonebridge UK.

After the summer it will be sent to HMP Spring Hill prison, near Bicester, which is raising pigs for The Big Bang.

People can also buy bags of sand at the end of the season.

Rick Mowe, chief executive of Aspire Oxford, said: “Oxford is the perfect place for such an innovative idea.”

The beach is open every day this summer from 10am to 10pm.