PEOPLE across Oxfordshire will be enjoying bonfires and toffee apples to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night tomorrow.

But 76 years ago students in Oxford were treated to a surprise fireworks display from the roof of Balliol College.

Three chemistry students made an elaborate series of fireworks and set them off on the historic college in 1938, it has now emerged.

Details of the impromptu display have been revealed by Brian Thomas, after he found old letters from his father John Kendall ‘Ken’ Thomas, one of the perpetrators.

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Mr Thomas, from Birmingham, said: “My father was a chemistry student and a demonstrator in science at Balliol College from October 1935 until 1939.

“He then worked with Professor [Cyril] Hinshelwood and other research students on the improvement of charcoal for use in gas marks.

“My father was a very law-abiding person, so I was really surprised to discover how mischievous he had been in his youth.”

Mr Thomas senior, who died in 2009 aged 92, wrote about his exploits to his parents in Feltham, Middlesex, on October 6, 1938, when he was 21.

His letter, handwritten on Balliol College paper, said: “We made the rockets into a large Catherine Wheel by attaching to wooden frameworks with cotton reel as hub.

“Everything was nearly ready when I left the roof climbers to do their stuff.”

A slow fuse was lit at 9.45pm, the agreed time, on the roof facing Broad Street.

He added: “The arch-conspirators got out of college by the usual routes — two down a drainpipe, one up the coal hole and another down a lamppost.

“But the large crowd of men were disappointed, for nothing happened! The fuse had gone out and somebody had to get in and re-light it.

“Then I saw the best bit of work for a long time; Hamilton, a second-year, man went up a drainpipe literally like a cat up a tree and was inside a first-floor window in 10 seconds.

“It was a good thing he was so quick, for just afterwards the porter came round the corner looking for miscreants.”

The fuse was re-lit and the letter continued: “Two bangers started the show and really drew the attention of the crowd and then there were things which sent out coloured lights which exploded high up, and maroons, and humming spiders, and more bangers.

“Everyone voted it a good show and nobody was caught, so that all were pleased.”

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Balliol College said it did not have any record of the incident and did not wish to comment further.