Vulnerable children in Banbury could go hungry because a family centre might be forced to close its kitchen.

The Britannia Road Family Centre faces a £6,250 funding shortfall, and parents who use the service say the kitchen, which provides some children with their only hot meal of the day, is under threat.

They are asking individuals and businesses to help.

In 2003, three areas of Banbury - Ruscote, Neithrop, and Grimsbury - were named as some of the most deprived areas in England.

The statistics were revealed in a survey for Cherwell District Council to determine health priorities for the region.

Users of the county council-run family centre, which has just been awarded charity status, netted £1,200 through fundraising events last year.

Centre manager Jan Capehorn said: "The money we get is not enough. We need outside help if we are to maintain the services we provide."

Town, district, and county councillor Kieron Mallon said: "The Government is spending millions on the asylum seeker centre near Bicester, but people in Banbury are going without hot meals."