Barmaid Linda Cox is one of a lucky dozen women in Oxford to be allowed to join one of the city's oldest societies.

Tomorrow, 12 women will be joining the Oxford Freemen, after they voted unanimously that women could be fully admitted for the first time in 800 years.

There are a few women who have been admitted as apprentices but, from now on, daughters and daughters-in-law will qualify for admission.

Miss Cox, 23, from Sermon Place, Risinghurst, Oxford, said she was delighted to follow in the footsteps of her father Steven, 54, and grandfather Norman.

The barmaid at the Masons Arms, in Headington, will be joined by sister Laura, 27, who now lives in Wales, to take the oath at the town hall in St Aldate's.

The former Wheatley Park School pupil said: "Being a Freeman is a real tradition in our family and I have found it frustrating that up until now women have not been allowed to join.

"I am very excited about it and have been explaining the traditions to some of my friends."

Freemen societies including those in London, York and Chester have already admitted women.

Freeman chairman Howard Crapper said: "The custom of the Freemen dating back over 1,000 years was to admit the merchant breadwinners as Freemen. Today, women are equal breadwinners and our admission order has been amended and agreed by the privy council."

Labour county councillor John Sanders, also a Freeman, said: "The Freemen meet throughout the year for some very nice dinners but we also want to do something useful, so we give certificates to apprentices in Oxford and the top apprentice of the year gets £100."

Hannah Crowther, an apprentice at BMW, has been selected as the Freemen's Apprentice of the Year.