If the fountain freezes over at Oxford’s former Radcliffe Infirmary building, it’s a clear signal to turn up the central heating or throw another log on the fire.

The fountain, and statue of half-man, half-fish Triton, were refurbished as part of a major redevelopment at the former hospital site by Oxford University.

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Linda Johnson, of Plough Close, Wolvercote, said in 2011: “If we wanted to know in the 1950s if it was cold enough to put another lump of coal on the fire, we had to walk from St Clement’s to Woodstock Road to see if Triton fountain was frozen right over – if he was, we threw another lump of coal on.

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Triton

“He’s part of Oxford’s history.”

Read again: Snow forecast in Oxford this week

According to mythology, Triton was the son of Poseidon, the Greek sea-god, who ordered him to blow on a trumpet made of a conch shell to soothe the waves.

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Snow on the A420 at Cumnor

The statue, in terra cotta, was erected following public subscription in 1857.

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Dave Stone in East Oxford

Earlier this week BBC Weather said snow could fall on Oxford on Friday from 6am.

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Snow at Carfax

And bookmakers Paddy Power said the city was a 7/1 to get a white Christmas - snow falling in the city on Christmas Day.