Oxfordshire looks set to get its own war museum after an agreement was reached to build an archive of military history in Woodstock.

The deal between Oxfordshire County Council and the Soldiers of Oxfordshire (SOFO) charitable trust means more than 3,000 of the county's military items will be put on public display.

The £3m archive will exhibit diaries, letters and maps belonging to the county's servicemen in a building next to the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

Creating an archive dedicated to the county's soldiers has been discussed for many years, but there were doubts the scheme would be given the go ahead following a failed National Lottery bid last year.

That bid would have seen the collection, which is currently stored in Caversfield, moved to the Oxfordshire Museums Store in Standlake.

However, development of the archive at the Oxfordshire Museum was ratified at the county council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Jim Couchman, cabinet member for social and community services, said: "A lot of hard work has gone into reaching this stage and we are all happy that we have settled on a way forward that satisfies everyone and creates a viable future for military history in Oxfordshire."

SOFO chairman, Brigadier Ian Inshaw, said: "This allows the history of the military of Oxfordshire to be fully integrated with the history of the county.

"People who visit the Oxfordshire Museum will find that the picture of the county is far more complete than it has ever been before.

"We owe a great deal of thanks to the council for their vision."

It is hoped the collection, which dates back to 1759, will be housed in a new building on the site of the current Pratten Building in Woodstock. Staff at the council's countryside heritage services, who currently work there, will be relocated.

SOFO will consult widely with the public about what the new building should look like while temporary exhibitions on various military themes will be presented in the Oxfordshire Museum next month. Project officer Major Hugh Babington Smith said: "We are delighted. It is recognition of the project at cabinet level and gives us great impetus to carry out our part of it to raise the money."