Fans of Oxford United are queuing up to show their support for the club by snapping up the new Oxford Loyal wristbands launched yesterday.

The bright yellow-and-blue wristbands proved to be a massive hit with fans when they went on sale yesterday, with 100 being sold within the first few hours.

At the Oxford Mail's Witney office, 50 bands were sold in under an hour. The club shop at the Kassam Stadium also reported strong sales, with fans eager to be seen with the latest United accessory.

Chairman Nick Merry launched the wristbands on Tuesday after the club teamed up with the Oxford Mail to produce them.

He believes the bands are a perfect way for fans to show their visible support for the U's after a disappointing season which saw United drop out of the Football League.

Profits from the sale of the bands, which have the club logo and the Oxford Mail masthead on them, will be split between the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign and Oxford United's youth development squad.

Club shop manager Hilary Sillman said more than 20 had been sold within a short time of going on sale.

She said: "Considering it is the off-season and we don't usually get many customers up here at this time of the year, there has been a lot of interest."

Mrs Sillman said they had even had a visit from the landlord of The Priory pub, near the stadium, who wanted to stock up on wristbands because he believes they are bound to prove popular with supporters.

Oxford Mail street seller John Irvin, who sells the paper from his stand in St Ebbe's, said: "I must have sold about 30 first thing without even realising. I think they're going to be popular."

The Oxford Mail's reception at its HQ in Osney Mead, Oxford, also reported brisk business.

Stuart Shaw, 26, a courier driver from Didcot, was just one of many people to come into our head office to buy his band.

He said: "The bands are a great idea, a lot of fans are going to be wearing them. It's another incentive to get behind the club while raising money for good causes."

Margaret Marsh, the Oxford Mail's newspaper sales manager, said: "We have been inundated with calls from people asking where they can get their Oxford Loyal wristbands from.

"The first day of sales went well and we expect them to go even quicker as word spreads."