OXFORD United fans are being warned that five bus services from towns across Oxfordshire to the Kassam Stadium are being axed.

At the start of the season, RH Coaches agreed to run the football specials from six towns to the stadium on matchdays, and to take over the existing service which starts at Kidlington.

However, when RH Coaches went into administration United and coach company Tappins began a trial to see which services would be financially viable.

After reviewing passenger numbers, services from Banbury, Chipping Norton, Wantage, Henley and Thame will now not run.

The U’s business development manager Owen Clark said: “We would have loved to keep all of the services going, but sadly it just doesn’t make sense.

“When you look at the figures over seven coaches and a whole season the losses would have been substantial. However, on a more positive note we are very pleased that Tappins has agreed to run the Carterton and Kidlington buses and we hope will grow in numbers. With military personnel able to buy discounted tickets for Saturday’s game, and the Carterton bus close to Brize Norton, we hope that we will be even busier this weekend.”

The U’s play Torquay United at home at 3pm tomorrow.