VOLUNTEERS at a charity shop claim nearby roadworks have caused footfall to drop desperately low.

Scope charity shop in Banbury Road, Summertown, is normally a thriving little business providing shoppers with a range of clothes, books, ornaments and DVDs.

But manager Cherie Cook said in all her four years running the store, she has never seen such a lack of customers.

She believes the roadworks put in place to improve Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabout are putting people off visiting Summertown.

Ms Cook said: "We haven't received any donations recently and we're really struggling with stock.

"Our numbers are massively down. All our volunteers are just devastated. We are normally a very busy shop.

"But you look outside and there just isn't any footfall.

"It's dire. It's a real shame."

Scope is a charity that exists to ensure disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else.

The project to improve both the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts began in July last year, and involves redesigning both junctions to make them traffic light-controlled, with approaches widened and new pedestrian and cycle crossings added.

Its finish date was brought forward by a month earlier this year, from mid-November to mid-October.

A spokesman for the county council said: "This is a major project to improve road capacity. When complete, it will benefit traders, residents and road users in the same way that similar previous major projects in Oxford such as Frideswide Square and Kennington roundabout have."