A violent feud between families in East Oxford is "eating at the heart of the community", according to a senior city councillor.

And councillors have warned that a so-called family dispute in 1997 resulted in a house in Magdalen Road being firebombed and two children being killed.

They criticised police, saying not enough had been done to resolve the situation, after a man needed eight stitches to his head after a fight at the junction of Magdalen Road and Catherine Street.

Police are investigating confrontations over the past seven months. People living in East Oxford said they were worried innocent people could get caught up in the dispute.

Craig Simmons, leader of the city council's Green group, told the east area committee meeting on Wednesday: "I have met Inspector Brian Cooper about this case twice and I told him how important it was.

"I said 'if you don't do something, there will be an attack on this person' and there has been an attack on this person, with a crowbar.

"This is eating at the heart of the community and it's very disconcerting for other people to see these things happening and nothing to happen, when in my mind it's clear who is responsible."

Mr Cooper, who is the area police inspector, said last month the problems arose from a dispute between three families and he believed it would stay between them.

Police investigations are being hampered by witnesses refusing to give evidence. People who saw the incident on Friday, January 18, have refused to give statements.

Councillor Elise Benjamin asked: "At what point does it cease to be a family matter - at the point where children witness an attack with a crowbar?

"Going back 10 years, there was an incident in Magdalen Road where a house was firebombed and two children died. That started out as a family matter. So at what point are we going to get some police intervention?"

Anum and Majid Khan, aged nine and 15 respectively, died in the firebomb attack on their home in 1997. Five men were convicted of their murder and imprisoned.

The 57-year-old man who was injured in the attack in January said he would not sit down and talk to the other side, as he feared for his life and that of his family. He said he wanted the police to investigate the incident and press charges.

The father of a 27-year-old arrested on suspicion of assault over the incident said he accepted that there was a dispute among the families but did not believe it was affecting the wider community.

He said he would be prepared to talk to the other family. But he added: "The kids don't tell everything to their parents."

Police have extended the bail of three men arrested over January's confrontation.