Drinkers in Oxfordshire have been urged to give their backing to a National Cask Ale Week as part of a drive to get people out of their house and down to their local.

The call for an annual celebration comes from the Campaign for Real Ale, which fears pubs are suffering because more people are choosing to buy cut-price drink at the supermarket.

It follows last month's publication of alarming figures showing that 55 pubs have been lost across Oxfordshire in just four years.

The figures, from market research group CGA Strategy, suggested the number of public houses in Oxfordshire fell from 865 in 2005 to 810 earlier this year.

CAMRA spokesman Jon Howard said the Great British pub was "under threat", with almost six pubs closing in the UK every day.

He said: "The public house is the lifeblood of many local communities across the country, providing an irreplaceable venue for local events and activities. “Without this meeting place, local communities will inevitably suffer.

“We believe a National Beer Day would help to promote and protect pubs, cask ale and successful brewers such as Hook Norton in Oxfordshire, which is a wonderful example of our rich brewing heritage."