THESE photos taken from the air show how the flood waters have drained away from Oxford’s flood plain during the past two weeks.

Aviation firm Air Experiences took a set of pictures above different locations on February 10 and then flew over the same locations again on Wednesday to take more shots.

The images reveal how land around the city is gradually drying out.

Pilot Lee Ingram runs the Birmingham-based firm with partner Rachel McCombie.

Mr Ingram and Ms McCombie flew over Oxford in a two-seater Venture motorglider based at Enstone airfield near Chipping Norton.

Oxford Mail:

Botley Road, with Osney Mead Industrial Estate, front, and Port Meadow behind at the height of the floods and, above, photographed on February 10 and, below, on Wednesday

Oxford Mail:

They travelled over Abingdon Road allotments, the area south of Botley Road, flood plain at Hinksey, the university boat houses and the area around Magdalen College and East Oxford.

Mr Ingram, a former TV director who lives in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, said: “The photos were taken using a Nikon D50.

Oxford Mail:

The Thames by the college boathouses, above, after breaking its banks and, below, within its normal course again this week

Oxford Mail:

“The photos show how much the flood water has reduced over the past two weeks – there has been a dramatic reduction although there is still quite a lot of water around, and in places the water is still very close to the road. We put these photos on a blog on our website.”

There are no longer Environment Agency flood warnings in Oxfordshire – which warn residents that flooding is expected.

Oxford Mail:

The meadows west of the railway line, above, between South Hinksey and South Oxford last month, and, below, this week

Oxford Mail:

But a number of flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, were in place yesterday including for the River Thames at Abingdon and from Days Lock, Little Wittenham, to above Pangbourne, along with parts of the River Windrush, including at Witney and Burford, the Ginge Brook, the River Ray, the Evenlode and the Glyme at Wootton and Woodstock.

Oxford Mail:

Magdalen College and the land either side of Magdalen Bridge, above, at the height of the floods and, below, photographed on Wednesday

Oxford Mail:

Environment Agency spokesman Ash Dobson said: “Levels on the Thames and tributaries around Oxford continue to fall, but will remain reactive to further rainfall.”

Oxford Mail:

Allotments off Abingdon Road drying out, below, and, above, under water last month

Oxford Mail:

For further information visit airexperiences.co.uk