Water regulator Ofwat today said bills in Oxfordshire would increase by an average of £10 over the next five years.

The watchdog published its final decisions on prices water companies can charge their customers between next year and 2015.

Ofwat said the average annual bill in the Thames Water region would rise from £303 to £313 by 2015 — about £42 less than the company had asked for.

During this period Thames Water must invest £4.9bn in its infrastructure.