Cow Lane between East Hanney and Grove, south of School Road, is in a “terrible condition,” but locals claim Oxfordshire County Council’s highways department is refusing to take responsibility for repairs.

The council says its only duty is to maintain the surface for walkers and horse riders, despite frequent use by vehicles.

Andrew Wastie, a resident of the Causeway, said to Hanney News: “The section of road in question is marked in ‘red’ on the pic, and is a ‘byway’ leading to a restricted ‘byway.’

“This application for funding has not being made without exhausting all other avenues such as Highways, Fix my Street and the parish councils.

READ MORE: ‘His smile could light up the sky’: tributes after aspiring pilot killed

“There is no legal obligation for Highways to maintain the byway beyond being fit for walkers or horses, despite its heavy use by cars, so it is up to the users to improve matters.”

Mr Wastie said residents have maintained the surface for years but many are now unable to help due to age or health.

He said: “We have a number of people who are suffering from serious ill health who use the byway.

“Some have for many years made significant contributions to our community, and now need our assistance to help them.”

Mr Wastie said Hanney villagers installed the private section of road in 1975, and have maintained Cow Lane ever since.

He said: “The work needed is simple and we have received a quote from a contractor for planing the surface, redistributing the material and using an eight tonne roller to flatten it.

“The quote is a very reasonable £750.

“Cow Lane is open to all in the village and all will benefit from its remedial works.”

Cow Lane also has historical significance.

Mr Wastie said: This section of Cow Lane is an old historic Roman road linking Abingdon to Grove.

“This feature in itself is a worthy cause for maintenance for historic Britain and for the bigger picture of assisting those in need today and beyond.”

He also made a request to parents and carers who park along the lane during school runs.

Mr Wastie said: “if you have to park on Cow Lane please do not park on the junction, blocking the footpath all of which are a traffic offence and to please park considerately.”

The fundraising has now made the required amount to fix the road.

In a statement Oxfordsire County Council said: “With a limited budget for Rights of Way maintenance along Oxfordshire’s 2,700-mile network, Oxfordshire County Council has to prioritise its finite resources into the areas where it is most needed.

“As a byway, Cow Lane is not maintained to the standards of the general road network.”

Oxfordshire County Council has said today (Thursday, June 4) that Hagbourne Church of England Primary School has closed down suddenly.

This is because its water supply has been impacted by a burst water main in the village, with the school expected to reopen tomorrow.

READ MORE: TV farming icon set to visit Cotswolds retirement home

Thames Water has provided updates about the incident, affecting Fulscot, the OX11 postcode, throughout the day, having first communicated the issue at 9.30am.

A spokesperson said: “We’re sorry if your tap water isn’t running at the moment. We’re aware of an issue affecting customers in the Didcot area. 

Burst water pipe leaving Fulscot near Didcot in South Oxfordshire without water or a low water supply (Image: Thames Water)

“Our specialist team is on site and are investigating the cause of disruption and to restore the flow of your water supply.”

A repair crew identified a burst water pipe and worked to dig down to the damaged section to carry out the repair.

READ MORE: New plan submitted for Cotswolds pub nearly bought by Jeremy Clarkson

In an update at 1.15pm the company said: “We are happy to confirm that our teams have successfully managed to isolate the burst pipe. 

“This has allowed us to move water around the network to keep your taps flowing. All affected properties should see water returning.

“We will shortly begin our repair process which is to dig down to the damaged section of the pipework in order for us to carry out the repairs.”

Quarry Rovers FC, a young people’s football club in Headington, Oxford, has lodged plans with Oxford City Council to install a catering unit at one of the pitches it frequently uses.

The club is based at Margaret Road but frequently plays home games at Barton Bradley Recreation Ground in Barton Road, where it has made the application for the new feature.

READ MORE: HelloFresh ‘to close warehouse’ with hundreds of jobs at risk

A singly-storey catering unit formed from a modified shipping container is proposed to be installed in the recreation ground at the Quarry Rovers site.

CGI image of the proposed catering unit in Barton Bradley Recreation Ground, Headington (Image: muswell / Quarry Rovers FC)

It would be about 30ft high and provide food and drink through a hatch, with no internal customer seating, and have customer toilets in the other end of the shipping container.

A planning statement submitted with the application said: “The proposed catering unit is a well-considered and appropriate addition to the Quarry Rovers site.

“Its modest scale, functional design, and sensitive positioning ensure it responds positively to the character of the area while maintaining the amenity of surrounding users.

CGI image of the proposed catering unit in Barton Bradley Recreation Ground, Headington (Image: muswell / Quarry Rovers FC)

“The development is fully accessible, operationally efficient, and does not give rise to adverse impacts in terms of daylight, sunlight, or overshadowing.

READ MORE: Person taken to hospital after Oxford police incident

“As such, it represents a suitable and sustainable form of development within its setting.”

The Quarry Rovers plan to operate the catering unit in line with sports teams using the recreation ground and claims there would be no significant visual or amenity impact on the surrounding area.

Oxford City Council has the application under consideration and will issue a decision by July 16.