OXFORD United's senior side has been hit by injury worries and indifferent form recently – but life has been a breeze for their table-topping walking football counterparts.

The team, made up of men aged over 50, topped the B Division of the Thames Valley League with victory over South Bucks and Chiltern Crinklies at Bisham Abbey last week.

Ahead of the U's clash with Blackburn Rovers at the Kassam Stadium on Tuesday night, the walking footballers were presented with their trophy.

Ken Wroe is the man behind the Oxford United-affiliated group, having set up the walking football side five months ago.

With the help of the Oxford United Committee Trust, the nine-player squad were given kits and equipment to set up.

He said: "There are nine players in each team, six on the pitch, three subs, and we use proper FA-affiliated referees.

"I started it because I was overweight, I had a high blood pressure and cholesterol.

"I went to the gym and improved my diet, then I saw a Barclays advert for walking footballers and tried to find a local one but there wasn't any.

"I travelled 45 minutes to play with a walking footballers club.

"It was always my dream to open my own club."

Walking football has been taking over Oxfordshire and the UK, with 12 teams in the county, and the Football Association may soon be involved in regulating the sport, said Mr Wroe.

The game is designed for older players as it is less physically taxing, with players penalised for breaking into a jog.

There is no offside rule and players are not allowed to kick the ball above their head.

The presentation on Tuesday was the second for the side, as they were also presented with a trophy by the Berks and Bucks FA for their title win.

But there's no time to get complacent for the team as they continue training, even though the season is over.

There are two seasons in a year and the team train 51 weeks of it, only taking Christmas week off.

Though the team is made up of over-50s men, women are also welcome to train and play, some of whom joined when the club first had its launch day.

The club is self funded and meets at The Oxford Academy in Sandy Lane West, Littlemore every week on Thursday to train, from 8-9pm.