THOUSANDS of visitors could soon be drawn to south Oxfordshire to see spots linked with ITV detective drama Midsomer Murders.

The long-running TV show, which stars John Nettles as super sleuth Det Chief Insp Tom Barnaby, has millions of fans worldwide, many of whom have already followed a similar Midsomer trail set up in neighbouring county Buckinghamshire.

Since it began in 1997, south Oxfordshire locations have featured in the series more than 30 times.

Wallingford’s Market Place has played the part of the fictional town of Causton, while viewers have seen Barnaby solve the murders of a woman strangled in woods near Wallingford, a man bludgeoned to death with a cricket bat in Watlington, and a Punch and Judy performer decapitated near Brightwell Baldwin, while Thame’s historic Spread Eagle Hotel appeared as the Swan in an episode entitled Vixen’s Run.

South Oxfordshire District Council now plans to cash in on the show’s international success by launching a tourist trail guiding visitors to locations used to film the drama.

A working group is investigating how it would be promoted and which locations should be included.

Rodney Mann, the council’s cabinet member for economic development, said: “Midsomer Murders’ attraction is partly the characters, but also the locations.

“When I’m watching at home, I often try to spot where these places are.

“Supporting market towns is very high up our agenda.

“Tourism, particularly in relation to Wallingford, is a very important part of that.”

The council will soon learn whether it has secured a £100,000 grant from the South East England Development Agency, some of which may be used for the project. Further money may be available from European Union rural development funds.

In June last year, visitors from Sweden, France and the US were among those who visited Wallingford for the first Midsomer Murders rally.

Liaan Van Zel, manager of the George Hotel, in Dorchester, which has featured in the show, said there had been a few visits from Midsomer fans.

He said: “I would be interested in something like this. I think it’s a good idea.”

Visit Buckinghamshire said its Midsomer Murders Trail had brought thousands more tourists to the county.

Spokesman Jean Slater said the Midsomer Trail webpage was the most popular part of the tourist board’s website.

She added: “From the tourists’ point of view, they know some that there are some super places out there, but until they are put on some sort of trail, they don’t know how to find them.”

Victoria Parola, owner of the Cock and Rabbit pub, in Great Lee, Bucks, which has appeared in several episodes, said that the connection with the series had attracted visits by Midsomer Murders fans from as far away as Denmark and New Zealand.