The Oxford University Encaenia attracted hundreds of onlookers yesterday - but a planned student protest failed to materialise.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was among the dignitaries who slowly paraded along Broad Street to the Sheldonian Theatre for the ceremony.

Kofi Annan with Prof William Bowen Honorary degrees were presented to Mr Annan and seven other people, including Prof Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, and Dr Harlem Brundtland, who was both the youngest person and the first woman to serve as Norway's Prime Minister.

Five student societies had expressed anger at Mr Annan's decision to attend as the university is facing court action for alleged racial discrimination. But much publicised plans for a protest to coincide with the ceremony came to nothing.

Picture: Antony Moore