Hundreds of parents marched through Oxford city centre today to protest against Oxfordshire County Council's proposals to close down children's centres.

A crowd formed in Bonn Square at about 1pm before parading through the streets to Broad Street.

The council is currently considering closing its 44 children's centres and seven early intervention hubs as part of a radical plan to save up to £6m.

Diane Wilson, a co-organiser of the protest, said: "The campaign has been going very well recently.

"People have said that children's centres have saved their lives - people who have been out on the streets, or had post-natal depression. It's a false economy to close them.

"Lots of passers-by have come and signed the petition including people who don't know anything about it and think it's outrageous."

A large proportion of those taking part have used children's centres themselves in the past.

Protester Jane English, 27, from Bicester, said: "I'm a new mum and the children's centres were vital to me in terms of getting out and meeting other mums. Without them I would have suffered."