Gates are to be put up behind a shopping parade in Rose Hill, Oxford, after traders and residents campaigned for more than two years for extra security.

But trader Michael Davis, 27, says delays resulted in a camper van being burnt out behind his newly-opened shop.

Michael Davis, of Oxford Granites, who has criticised the delay

The fire melted part of an overhead cable, causing his phone line to go dead.

The damage was so bad BT took almost two weeks to restore Mr Davis's phone line.

BT said he was finally reconnected on December 2.

Mr Davis said gates would have stopped vandals loitering behind the shops setting fire to the vehicle, which has been there for some time. It is not known who owns it.

The gates were delayed because Oxford City Council and City Estates, which owns the parade of shops, could not agree who should maintain them.

The council decided to act and planning permission for the gates was granted on November 4.

They will be in place by December 20, at a cost of almost £6,000.

Mr Davis, whose shop Oxford Granites sells granite work tops for kitchens, said: "I'm pleased the gates are going to be put up this month.

"But it's a shame it's taken several years. If they'd been up sooner it would have stopped vandals setting fire to the camper van and damaging my phone line."

The fire was on November 19, four days after Oxford Granites opened.

Mr Davis said: "I spent three months getting the shop ready. It could have just gone up in flames."

Rose Hill councillor Ed Turner said the gates were essential.

He accused City Estates of not fulfilling its responsibilities to tenants, by leaving the job to the council.

He said the council was not allowed to remove abandoned vehicles which might become a target for vandals, because land behind the shops was privately owned.

Susan Goldacre, of Rose Hill Action Group, which has campaigned for improvements to the parade, welcomed the council's announcement, but criticised a lack of communication between the council and City Estates. City Estates declined to comment.

BT spokesman Jason Mann said phone lines to eight businesses had initially been affected, but Mr Davis's was the last to be reconnected.

Mr Mann said the van fire made the pole supporting his overhead line unsafe for engineers. They had had to find a hydraulic platform to do the job, and he apologised for the delay.