OXFORD Crown Court was evacuated this morning because a "false alarm", officers have said.

But the reason the alarm went off is still being investigated.

An official of the court said that staff, lawyers and defendents were cleared from the building after an alarm went off.

Mark Kram told the Oxford Mail: "I can confirm that the building was evacuated this morning following a false alarm and we are looking into the cause."

He would not comment on reports that someone had been smoking inside the building.