Rising house prices in Witney and West Oxfordshire are putting social housing under pressure, a report has found.

West Oxfordshire District Council prepared the report, which found the cost of the average semi-detached house is more than £130,000 and the average cost of a flat was almost £85,000.

At the same time, more than 40 per cent of those in full employment in the district earned less than £350 a week or £18,200 a year. Just under 17 per cent earned less than £250 a week or £13,000 a year.

Even on a mortgage of five times salary, this puts the average house or flat well out of reach of many people.

For the council, the disparity between house prices and earnings means more pressure for affordable social housing.

Tina Rowley, the council's senior planning officer, said: "As with much of the south-east region, the relationship between increasing house prices and the income available to a significant proportion of existing residents is of mounting concern."

"The monitoring shows the council has not achieved its affordable housing targets, although there should be a significant increase during the current year of approximately 100 new homes," says Mrs Rowley.

The report was drawn up in response to the Government's desire to see local authorities track changes in their housing market.

The monitoring is supposed to affect the council's assessment of the need for affordable housing.