A BMX park is on track for its grand opening on July 9. Bicester Town Council announced plans for a new BMX and skateboard park, to be built on land next to the paddock at Garth Park, Launton Road, earlier in the year.

The BMX park, which will cost a total of 170,000, was built after a town survey which asked residents what new facilities they would like to see built in Bicester.

The event to mark the opening of the BMX facility will coincide with a youth band day and family fun day which will be held on the site.

Town council leader Norman Bolster (Con) said: "This is what the young people of the town have been asking for, for a very long time. We set a timetable for a summer opening, and it is great that the building of the BMX track is very much on time." The decision to build the BMX facility followed the town council's 2000 and Beyond survey which attracted responses from more than 2,000 people.

A total of 878 residents replied saying they would like to see the BMX track, which when built, will also include an in-line skating facility.

Funding for the BMX project has come from the 500,000 the council received following the sale of land at Garth Fields for housing.

The previous Labour administration intended to spend the entire sum on building a new park at Pingle Field, which would also have including a BMX facility.