A company running leisure centres in Blackbird Leys, Barton and Summertown has announced plans to change its cost-incurring phone numbers.

Fusion Lifestyle has reviewed the use of the 0845 numbers it currently uses at sites run on behalf of Oxford City Council.

It has now confirmed that the numbers, which cost 3p to 18p a minute from landlines and 6p to 51p from mobile phones, will be withdrawn from the Leys Pools and Leisure Centre, Barton Leisure Centre and Ferry Leisure Centre over the next few months.

Spokesman Stephen Lee said: "Fusion Lifestyle can confirm that they have reviewed the use of the 0845 phone numbers across their sites and are committed to withdrawing these numbers from all locations. These changes will be rolled out across the estate over the coming months and as soon as alternative solutions can be implemented."

Earlier this month a national group, the Fair Telecoms Campaign, called on Fusion to cease its use of "expensive telephone numbers" across the board after they were dropped from its services with Braintree Council. 

It stated: "This is only one of many examples of charitable bodies using 084 numbers to subsidise their services by causing callers to incur excessive costs – most of which are only to the benefit of the caller’s telephone company."