MAY celebrations have been part of Oxfordshire life for many years, as these pictures from the Oxford Mail archives show.

Many schools had a tradition of electing a May Queen and encouraging pupils to dance around the maypole.

East Oxford School’s list of May Queens stretched back to the 1920s and in 1971, Nina Batts, 15, became the latest to wear the crown.

Nina, second from left in Picture one, is seen with the 1970 May Queen, Ann Yates, 16, third from left, and her two attendants, Parveen Allhai, left, and Rosemary Gough, both 11.

Picture two shows pupils at Donnington Junior School in Oxford enjoying maypole dancing in the grounds of historic Iffley Church in 1970.

Four-year-old Diane Pitts, in Picture three, was crowned May Queen at Sandford Playgroup in 1978.

Her crepe dress, adorned with paper roses, was made by playgroup leader Joyce Latham.

The recorder group at Manor Primary School, Long Hanborough, in Picture four, provided the music for the maypole dancing in 1970.

The musicians are back row, left to right: Susan Court, 10, Julie Paul, 10, Linda Hobley, 11, and front, Leslie Whitelaw, 10, Heather McCalman, 10, Linda Clark, nine, Susan Lee, 10, Bridget Hanson, 10, Angela Floyd, nine, and Julia Gathercole, nine.

Kate Lippiett, 11, was elected May Queen at Garsington Primary School in 1988.

She is seen in Picture five with her 11-year-old maids of honour, Tammy Norton and Amy Robinson.

During the celebrations, they were taken on a tour of the village on a decorated tractor and trailer loaned by a local farmer.

Picture six shows pupils at Botley Primary School in Oxford taking part in May dancing in 1993.