Shopkeepers in Launton fear a big diversion for road works will hit trade and could close one of them down.

Drivers going in and out of Launton will be sent on a long diversion when a section of road outside the village is closed for three weeks, as part of the £4.8m improvement scheme to Skimmingdish Lane, Bicester.

Instead of having a virtually straight run from the village to the town, drivers will have to use part of the Bicester bypass to reach London Road and turn into the town.

Originally the road was going to be closed for eight weeks, but following protests by villagers the time has been reduced to three weeks.

Shopkeepers are particularly upset because the road has already been closed for five months, between Marsh Gibbon and Launton.

Now they fear they will be hit a second time as they all rely on trade from drivers passing through and also from Bicester residents, who avoid going into the town centre by shopping in Launton.

Bharat Patel, who runs the Premier Stores in Bicester Road, Launton, said: "The three-week closure is better than eight weeks, but I expect to be affected tremendously."

Butcher John Walman, whose shop is on the corner of Bicester Road and Station Road, Launton, said: "I could lose 50 per cent of my trade and it might close me down."

Andrew Green, deputy project manager for consultants handling the work, said the closure would occur in August and could, barring bad weather, be finished before Christmas.