Motorists on the B4022 Charlbury to Witney road face lengthy diversions over the next ten days while a new pipeline is laid.

The road immediately to the south of the town was closed on Saturday and drivers are being urged to follow signed diversions via Woodstock and Bladon.

Thames Water is laying a new water main from the Farmoor reservoir to improve supplies in the Charlbury area. Police have banned people from parking their cars on the road leading out of Charlbury to Burford.

Sgt Stuart Caro said: "While the main road from Charlbury to Witney is closed, the route past the railway station is getting additional traffic.

"Some drivers have started leaving their cars on Dyers Hill for lengthy periods since fees were introduced at the station car park. We will monitor the situation and issue fixed penalty tickets where appropriate."

Worths of Enstone are continuing to run buses from Charlbury to Oxford and Witney.

The county council's area engineer Colin Carritt said: "Thames Water are reasonably confident they can do the work within a ten-day period and additional bus services have been laid on."