Around a dozen May Day revellers defied warnings and plunged from Magdalen Bridge into the water this morning.

Police hailed their operation a success after closing the bridge at dawn stopped anyone from jumping.

But once the barriers on the bridge were removed shortly after 6.30am to allow traffic to pass and police left the scene people began to leap into the river.

Student Will Brotherhood, 19, was the first to leap. He said: “We came down here wanting to jump in. We’re first year students. You have to do it. “It was colder than I thought but I’m not injured.”

Police arrested one person for a public order offence. No one was injured in the celebrations.