THE trial of four students, including one from West Oxfordshire, accused of raping a woman at a university ball has been adjourned after the case hit "an iceberg."

James Martin, 20, from Hook Norton Road, Swerford, is accused of raping the alleged victim at the end-of-year ball at the prestigious Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, in May 2014 along with three other students.

Thady Duff, 22, of Stubbs Hill Farm, Blunsdon, Swindon, faces three counts of rape, Leo Mahon, 21, from Lawrence Road, Cirencester is charged with three counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration, while Patrick Foster, 22, of Colchester, faces one count of rape of two counts of assault but penetration.

The trial was scheduled to begin yesterday at Gloucester Crown Court but the jury was instructed not to attend for another day during a short hearing.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC told them the case had run into a potentially major problem.

He said: "When you are dealing with a vast amount of material, things crop up - they just do.

"This case has run into an iceberg - a small problem on top, a big problem underneath.

"It may be that we aren't going to be like the Titanic and go down."

He added: "We will let you know whether the iceberg has melted or has now formed part of the South Pole."