Thousands of historic photographs of Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties can now be seen - thanks to the hi-tech world of the Internet.

The 11,600 pictures are by well-known Chipping Norton photographers Frank Packer and his son Basil and can be viewed on Oxfordshire County Council's website www.oxfordshire.gov.uk, by typing 'packer' into the heritage search engine.

The images, which span from 1910 to the 1970s, are of North and West Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds and the Vale of White Horse.

Malcolm Graham, head of the county council's Oxfordshire Studies, said: "It is a fantastic archive.

"Until recently the only way to gain access to the photos was to come into the museum or library and look at them on microfiche copies."

Frank and Basil Packer ran The Imperial photographic studio, in Chipping Norton High Street, from the 1900s to 1984.

The father and son team could often be seen driving around Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties on a motorbike and side car taking photographs of everywhere they visited.

Mr Graham added: "They took pictures of the new council houses in the villages as well as picturesque old stuff, at a time when there was no piped water, drainage, cars and pavements.

"The collection also includes the work of Percy Simms, a rival photographer whose studio they took over."

The Packer Collection was bought by Oxfordshire Museum Services in 1984.

Don Seale, cabinet member for cultural services and adult learning, said: "Oxfordshire is now in the forefront of authorities making heritage collections available on the web.

"Adding these important Packer Collection images is another feather in our cap."