Traders, residents and councillors have issued a blunt response to a suggestion that Abingdon should become part of Oxford -- "hands off our town".

Alan Lester, the former chairman of the city's Covered Market Traders' Association and an Abingdon resident, wants to see the town incorporated into Oxford City Council's boundaries.

Mr Lester, of Northcourt Road, said land around Kennington, Radley and Sunningwell should be made available for housing and businesses as part of a bid to ensure the economic growth of the city.

Mr Lester said: "Oxford does need to grow. Abingdon could become a district of Oxford, like Cowley. The population is growing and we are going to need more homes and more jobs."

Abingdon's mayor Hilary Green was appalled at the idea of the town being swallowed up by a greater Oxford.

She said: "Abingdon should not be annexed. We would lose our identity and become a dormitory town, a suburb of Oxford. I want Abingdon in my back yard, not Oxford."

Howard Aldridge, president of the Abingdon-on-Thames Chamber of Commerce, said: "Abingdon has a totally different retail structure to Oxford and we would not want to see our small independent retailers gobbled up and lost."

Mr Lester's controversial views have angered residents living in Sunningwell village, who are opposing the proposed Penbridge plans for 2,000 eco-homes, which have not yet been given the go-ahead.

Robert Warner, the chairman of Spade (Sunningwell Parishioners Against Damage to the Environment), said: "We reject Mr Lester's suggestion. We and the county council must be very vigilant about any large-scale building proposed on Green Belt land.

"We recognise that there should be some appropriate development within village boundaries but are against any huge development that would be totally inappropriate to the countryside and village communities."

Paul Bizzell, leader of the Vale of White Horse District Council and an Abingdon councillor, said there was a much stronger link between the economies of Abingdon, Didcot and other market towns.

Oxfordshire county council leader Keith Mitchell urged caution and said: "If you join Abingdon to Oxford you would create a big urban sprawl and destroy a nice market town in the process."