Allotment holders will have another year to wait before they can return to plots closed due to soil contamination.

About 20 gardeners had cultivated the Claypits allotments, off London Road, Bicester, for decades without any trouble until about 18 months ago.

The allotments, which are owned by Cherwell District Council but run by Bicester Town Council, were closed after high levels of iron and other chemicals that could be linked to cancer were found. All plot-holders were offered allotments elsewhere in the town.

Apart from cleaning the land, there is also the problem of an ancient badger sett nearby, which cannot be moved without permission from English Nature.

Talks are still going on between the county and district councils on the best way to make the ground safe. Cherwell property and technical manager David Marriott said: "We favour capping the site with clay and putting about 2ft of topsoil on.

"Clay would stop any contamination seeping through. The county's consultants think the soil should be scraped off and replaced with topsoil."

Town council environment committee chairman Carol Steward said: "I would welcome the holders being allowed back if they want to.

"I am only sorry everything is taking so long."

Gardener Dave Austin, of Woodfield Road, said: "I would go back if I got the chance.

"I was at Claypits for four years and still find it difficult to believe the site was contaminated because when it was a refuse tip 70 years ago there were not the chemicals we have today."