Canalside safety in Banbury is being looked at after two near-tragedies at the rear of the Castle Quay shopping centre.

A town councillor has asked Woolworths to seal off an automatic door that opens on to the canal bank.

The moves follow separate incidents in December in which two people -- a man and a young girl -- could have drowned.

The first was when an unnamed man fell into the lock near The Mill and was rescued by passer-by Andy Allen who held on to him until firefighters arrived.

In the second incident, on New Year's Eve, a five-year-old girl fell into the canal outside Woolworths and was pulled to safety by her eight-year-old brother.

Cllr Gordon Gerry said: "The automatic door at the rear of Woolworths should be closed off. Parents, especially strangers, take children into the shop and think there is a barrier between their youngsters and the canal.

"But when the children go for a closer look, the door opens and they are on the canal bank before their parents realise what is happening."

Barry Lucas, of Woolworths, said: "We are looking to see if improvements can be made."