A Bicester hairdresser who says his salon has been repeatedly targeted by vandals and burglars has called for greater security in the area.

Martin Parker, who owns Parker's Hair Salon, in Dean's Court, said his business had suffered smashed windows, break-ins, damaged signs and people spitting on the windows and urinating against a wall.

Dr Parker, who has run the business for eight years, said the problems had got worse over the past 12 months and called for CCTV security cameras in the area.

He said the latest incident, where vandals ripped the salon sign off its mountings, had prompted him to call for more to be done to combat the problem.

He said: "They have just ripped the sign off. It's been there for eight years. They have ripped all the plants up down the front or spat on the windows. We have never been free of problems but this has gone on from before the summer."

He added that his salon and a neighbouring business had their locks glued by vandals earlier this year.

He reported the latest incident on Wednesday last week and was told by Thames Valley Police that an officer would be out within a week - a timescale he said was not good enough.

He said: "It's not an emergency, but I didn't expect someone to say there would someone there within a week."

Police spokesman James Clements said: "We apologise to Mr Parker. He was told that an officer would be round within a week. He should not have been told that."

He said an area beat officer had been to see Mr Parker within a couple of days.

A spokesman for Cherwell District Council said that there were no plans to install CCTV in that area. He added: "Our community safety officer will work with the crime reduction officer and Mr Parker to look at other ways to reduce the problem."