A new bid to win charitable status for Banbury's Lady on a White Horse project is to be made within weeks.

Pupils from St Mary's primary school show their lady and white horse models alongside their model of Banbury Cross

A first application to the Charity Commission was rejected after too much emphasis was put on the tourism aspect of the scheme, which involves erecting a statue of the famous nursery rhyme character close to Banbury Cross.

The project is designed to bring the rhyme Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross to life, and some of the town's primary schools are involved in the new bid.

Town clerk Tom Thompson said: "We want to get across the educational aspect. There is a terrific amount of history attached to the white horse and Banbury Cross.

"The area's local heritage is wrapped up in this."

Councillor Jan Justice said: "I visited six primary schools last month with the statue's designer, Andy Edwards. We encouraged pupils to make models of the lady on her white horse.

"It's going to be an educational project that illustrates Banbury's heritage. The town is famous across the world because of the nursery rhyme.

"Like other rhymes, such as Jack and Jill, Banbury's nursery rhyme is based on real happenings. I am committed to this project. Children now and in the future will need to know about this."

Models made by pupils of Queensway, Harriers, St Mary's, and Dashwood primary schools are on display in the former Radio Rental shops in Castle Quay, overlooking the Market Place.

An appeal to raise £150,000 to pay for the statue is about half-way towards reaching its target.