A man alleged to have bitten off and swallowed the earlobe of a Brookes University student during a fight was cleared of serious wounding by a jury at Oxford Crown Court.

The jury heard conflicting accounts from victim Lee Turner and accused Robert Pudney of what happened during a drunken fight in the Student Union bar in Headington on March 29.

Mr Turner was celebrating with friends after completing his end of term exams and Pudney was visiting the campus with a friend who wanted to become a student. The two ended up on the floor during the disturbance and Mr Turner was taken to the John Radcliffe with his right earlobe missing.

Prosecutor Basil Hillman told the court: "The missing earlobe could not be found and the inference is that Pudney must have swallowed it."

Pudney aged 20, of Bown Close, Tilbury, Essex, admitted he was very drunk and he had only a vague memory of what happened. But with his left leg in a plaster cast at the time there was no way he would have started an attack and he ended up on the floor with Mr Turner on top of him.

He told the jury: "I have no recollection of biting his ear but I accept I must have done it."

He was found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.