As the parade celebrating Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic sporting heroes snaked its way through the city of London yesterday, some of Oxfordshire’s elite athletes limbered up to create a human pyramid on one of the tour buses.

Oxford Mail columnist Caroline O’Connor, who coxed the women’s eights, is pictured on top, with Helen Glover, Women’s Pair gold medallist, centre left.

They were supported by brothers Peter and Richard Chambers, wearing sunglasses, who won silver in the men’s lightweight four.