A part of rural Oxfordshire has been given a boost for the new year with nearly £3m to combat decline in village services.

The successful bid, put together by West Oxfordshire District Council, was announced by Rural Affairs Minister Alun Michael.

The money, given by the Government and the European Union, is to be spread over seven years to help set up a wide range of initiatives, including support for village shops, mobile foot care services and minibuses to bring young people to town leisure centres.

West Oxfordshire was one of 49 rural areas which applied for the help under the EU's Leader+ programme. Only five in the south east have been successful.

Council cabinet leader Barry Norton said: "This is fantastic news for the people of west Oxfordshire.

"The quality bid that we put together with a number of partners has clearly been well received and provides for better access to a whole raft of services for people in rural areas."

The council applied for the money because it felt that, as a largely rural area, it was missing out on other sources of Government funding.

A package of 28 different projects has been assembled as targets for help. A key one is the Burford Phoenix Project, which is setting up a 'healthy living centre' covering a range of health care facilities in the former Burford Hospital.

There are 81 rural parishes in the district, and a volunteers' scheme is to be set up in all of them, with the emphasis on helping isolated elderly people and spreading information technology through a range of measures, including a learning bus.