Town councillors in Burford have called a halt to organisations using the bridge across the River Windrush to raise money.

In recent years several groups, sometimes dressed as highwaymen, have asked motorists waiting to cross the single-lane bridge to hand over money.

Mayor Keith Davies said: "It only used to happen once a year.

"But once local groups found they could raise perhaps £1,000 in just a few hours, it was happening three or four times a year.

"We were getting complaints, especially from people living in Taynton and Fulbrook, who perhaps cross the bridge several times a day.

"Some people saw it as harassment when someone dressed in a mask shoved a bucket through their car window.

"We are not against local charities and organisations raising money in the town. We allow them to use the area under the Tolsey to collect money or have stalls free every Saturday, which we could rent commercially for quite a bit of money."

Rules governing street collections are administered by West Oxfordshire District Council, but it has amended the regulations for Burford.

Cllr Davies said: "They now state that on no account must any collector collect contributions from the occupiers of any vehicles using or waiting to use the bridge crossing the River Windrush."