A £38,000 project will transform Tower Square in the centre of Carterton, described by one town councillor as "grotty".

Members of the Carterton Fast Forward project won £38,380 in a public vote for the National Lottery's People's Millions competition, run in conjunction with ITV's Thames Valley Tonight.

The money will be used to improve public facilities and create an attractive square as a focus for the community.

The project was up against the Blackbird Leys Adventure Playground, which wanted £80,000 to refurbish its facilities after vandals broke in and damaged equipment.

But after a televised appeal by both organisations, Carterton's residents found out they had won a public vote on Wednesday.

The money will now be used to rejuvenate the square, in Alvescot Road, which those behind the project say is the natural centre of the town.

Benches will be put in and a mosaic pavement laid.

The area will also have bike racks installed and an improved pedestrian area, which project organisers hope will reduce antisocial behaviour in the area.

Carterton town councillor Sheila Stone, 65, has lived in the area all her life and in the town itself for 40 years.

She said: "It's absolutely fantastic. It will make that part of town a much nicer area for people to congregate.

"At the moment it's quite grotty. The seats are broken, the pavements are uneven, and there's an unsightly mound of grass. It's not the most inspiring part of town to say the least.

"The fact so many people have voted for the project speaks for itself."

Carterton's mayor, Phil Scott, said: "This will make the centre of Carterton a lot better looking. It will be a nice place to sit and watch the world go by.

"The appeal was all part of trying to make the town look a better place. The people of Carterton are fantastic people, unfortunately Carterton is not the best looking place in the world.

"I was a bit surprised we won, because the project in Blackbird Leys was very good.

"But it did not beat the people of Carterton, because they rallied together, and voted and voted. The way people worked together is fantastic."

A scheme to promote sailing for the disabled secured £80,000 in tonight's Lottery Millions award. The project will see the installation of an electric lift at Farmoor Reservoir. The scheme was up against a rival bid to secure funding to modernise the headquarters of the 22nd Oxford Sea Scouts. See tomorrow's Oxford Mail for the full story.

Tomorrow the public will be deciding between two more schemes: a programme to improve facilities at Bicester Athletic Club and a scheme to improve a community hall in Bracknell, Berkshire.