Chinese tourists attracted to quaint village as they search for 'true' England
THE mystery of why coach loads of Chinese tourists are descending on a quaint English village has been solved - they are searching for a "true sense" of the UK.
Hoards of holidaymakers began arriving in Kidlington, Oxfordshire, on tour buses in June with groups of 40 at a time spotted taking photos of houses and gardens.
Tourists have even knocked on doors and asked for selfies with locals who have no idea why their Oxfordshire idyll is suddenly a draw for international attention.
It was speculated tourists had been falsely told by rogue tour operators the village is the setting for Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders or even Harry Potter.
But a Chinese guide responding to a BBC questionnaire handed out by a resident said throngs of tourists are visiting in search of a part of "true" England.
We are looking for the true sense of this country
The response to the quiz sheet question said: "Because we don't have [these] in China.
"Here, we are looking for the true sense of this country.
"[I] like it because the environment makes you feel you are closer to the simplicity of your original self.
"[I] like the houses and gardens."
The guide was responding to a BBC question sheet that was handed to tourists by resident Anne Clifton last month.
Ms Clifton said: "I asked a woman standing at the door of the coach if she would be good enough to complete the form.
"She was not actually one of the tourists, but was leading the party."
The tourists were a short walk from thatched cottages and a church but apparently preferred to take photos outside modern houses and cars.
Baz Daniels, who has lived in Kidlington for more than 20 years, said he had been in touch with a friend in China to try to get to the bottom of the tourist influx.
He said: "Kidlington is apparently being marketed by Chinese tourist agencies as a beautiful English village on the way to Bicester Village shopping centre.
"Many of the visitors live in cities and love to see things like the hanging baskets and little flowers in people's gardens."
Kidlington is one of the UK's largest villages, with a population of over 15,000.
One of the roads popular with tourists, Benmead Road, is a typical seventies housing estate and is nothing like a quaint English village, locals said.