A family centre in Oxford has been thrown a lifeline after a council U-turn over funding.

Supporters of the Donnington Doorstep Family Centre, in Townsend Square, turned out in force at Oxford City Council's budget meeting on Monday night to protest about a planned funding cut by ruling Liberal Democrats.

But an 11th hour amendment tabled by Labour and Green councillors meant the centre will now receive £60,000 over the next three years.

Centre manager Anna Thorne said: "We were very apprehensive before the meeting because we really didn't know what the result would be.

"We knew the Green councillors had proposed an amendment which would include our grant but we didn't really know who was going to support us."

The drop-in centre, which helps about 2,000 children and adults each year with a range of support services, has just started work on a new £180,000 'youth space' - with the secured funding paying for activities for the new area.

Ms Thorne said: "This means an awful lot. It's such a relief and means we can plan for the future.

"It's been difficult because it is not possible to plan anything when you are trying to search out for the next grant.

"This means that from May, when the building is completed, we will have enough funding to run a really good programme of activities for local kids and that feels really good."

Donnington Doorstep campaigners - many of them in fancy dress - packed the Town Hall to listen to Ms Thorne's impassioned plea for funding to continue.

Volunteer and mum-of-two Antonella Crucioli of Boundary Brook Road, added: "It means a lot to the kids, they get a lot from this centre."

Verity Abbot, of Townsend Square, whose two children Kai, six, and Amaia, two, go to the centre three times a week, welcomed the council U-turn.

She said: "Kai loves the play rangers scheme and this means he can carry on going to that."