An Oxford fast food restaurant has been forced to close for three months because of flooding.

McDonald's in Botley Road was under 2ft of water and had its basement fully submerged in July's floods.

The restaurant was forced to close early on Sunday, July 22, and has not reopened for more than a few hours since.

It is unlikely to reopen until October at the earliest - at least 12 weeks since it first shut.

Carl Room, who had only taken over the franchise six weeks before the floods struck, said he had enjoyed his best day's takings the day before it was forced to close.

Manager Neil Bouse said the restaurant first closed because staff could not get in when police closed Botley Road because of the floods.

The restaurant only opened for a couple of hours each day until Wednesday, July 25, when the water hit with full force, Mr Bouse said.

He continued: "We came in Wednesday morning and it was pretty shocking. When we walked in it was not a pleasant sight.

"We had about 2ft of water in the main dining area and about 14ft of water in the basement.

"In the basement it was two steps away from coming into the main site. The whole basement up to the ceiling and almost up to the top step was flooded."

Mr Bouse, 23, added: "It is really frustrating. The Saturday before was the busiest day since we had the franchise, and was £100 away from being the biggest take the restaurant has ever done. We took just under £5,000.

"On a Saturday we normally take between 950 and 1,000 transactions. If you have got a family of four, that is a fair amount of customers."

Builders are currently removing contaminated furniture from the restaurant and Mr Room is waiting to hear from his insurers before the details of the refurbishment are finalised.

About 30 staff have been relocated to other McDonald's restaurants across the city and customers face an extra two-mile trip to Cornmarket Street for a Big Mac.

The previous owners of the McDonald's had angered residents by unsuccessfully applying for a licence to serve food until 5am in April.

But Ag Mackeith, from Old Botley, had sympathy for the restaurant's plight.

She said: "We are good friends these days. I think McDonald's fulfils quite a useful purpose. It is the one place you can go in Botley if you are under 18.

"I imagine a lot of people around here are sad that they have had to close down. "