A TRACTOR driving lesson with Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper and a beer drinkign session in a brewery, helped raise £16,000 to help run an open air swimming pool.

The Chipping Norton Lido auction, hosted by Jeremy Clarksonwhich took place on Friday at Chipping Norton Town Hall.

Lots included included a six-month supply of eggs, pony riding, beer tasting at Hook Norton Brewery and a classic car experience.

Funds were raised for the pool, which has been run by local people as a charity since 2004, because the rises in energy prices have “hit the lido hard”.

Witney Gazette: Jeremy Clarkson hosts the auction every yearJeremy Clarkson hosts the auction every year

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson's plans to extend car park at Diddly Squat Farm Shop refused

It was threatened with closure before being taken on by the community after the district council withdrew its funding in 2003.

The pool, measuring 25m, was first opened in 1970 followed by a £75k revamp in 2014 through a £60k grant from Sport England and community fundraising.

At the auction, the tractor driving lesson was the most popular item going for £1,100. Ticket prices were also £20 per person.

Witney Gazette: The lido in Chipping Norton which is community-runThe lido in Chipping Norton which is community-run

Mr Clarkson, who famously lives in Chadlington, has hosted the auction since 2007 and is a long-time supporter of the pool, which he praised in his Sunday Times column. 

Before the auction, Lido trustee Claire Jarvis said: "It's a long postponed night of fevered bidding and top class entertainment to raise vital funds for the community-run pool.

Witney Gazette: The tractor lessons went for the most moneyThe tractor lessons went for the most money

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson rages about 'not terribly bright' people in planning

"The audience is promised an unmissable event that will help the pool withstand the current energy crisis and remain open to the public."

-

Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

A message from our Editor

Thank you for reading this story and supporting the Oxford Mail.

If you like what we do please consider getting a subscription for the Oxford Mail and in return we’ll give you unrestricted access with less adverts across our website from the latest news, investigations, features, and sport.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok for more. 

You can also join the conversation in our Facebook groups: stay ahead of traffic alerts here, keep up to date with the latest from court here, share your favourite memories of Oxford here, get your daily dose of celebrity news here and take some time out with news that will make you smile. 

If you’ve got a story for our reporters, send us your news here. You can also list an event for free here.