Villagers in two affluent areas of the Oxfordshire countryside are bewildered to discover they will receive free-to-use cash machines after being named among the poorest and deprived areas in the country.

Cash machine operator Link announced it will run 600 free-to-use machines in low-income areas yesterday, following recommendations by a Parliamentary investigation.

But residents of Stanton St John and Toot Baldon have found their communities listed among the poorest and most needy in the country - ahead of housing estates in Oxford.

They boast fewer than 1,000 residents between them. Houses in Stanton St John are selling for more than £600,000 and Toot Baldon has two pubs, no shops and fewer than 40 houses.

Two areas of Banbury, yet to be decided, will also receive free-to-use cash machines.

The news that machines could go to two well-heeled villages has angered Oxford East MP Andrew Smith who successfully cam- paigned for a free machine in Blackbird Leys and wants them to be installed in other deprived areas in the city.

Elizabeth Gillespie, of Toot Baldon Parish Council, said: "There's no justification for this whatsoever. There's only one person in the village who doesn't have a car and I can't think of a house worth less than £200,000. That shows the financial background."

Gina Moore, vice chairman of Stanton St John Parish Council, said: "We have got a wonderful post office where people can withdraw money, which we're devoted to, and we wouldn't want anything here which would take business away from it.

"This village is what estate agents call 'highly desirable'. It's bizarre and absolutely weird. If they're describing deprived areas, it's not Stanton St John."

Many areas in Oxford, which do not have access to a free-to-use cash machine, missed out because there is a machine within a mile of homes.

Mr Smith said: "I'm sure these villages need cash machines, but with the possible exception of certain areas of Banbury, no-one could hardly describe them as the most deprived areas in Oxfordshire.

"It demonstrates that 600 across the country isn't enough and I want to see all residents in Barton, Minchery Farm, Northway, Rose Hill, Wood Farm, and other residential areas which aren't on estates, covered by free-to-use machines."

The Parliamentary Treasury select committee ranked the two villages in the top 600 needy areas based on income, employment, health, disability, education, skills and training, barriers to housing and services, crime and living environment.

The investigation compared data on distribution of cash machines with the Index of Multiple Deprivation published by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Link spokesman Chris Warner said: "The report showed most low-income areas were relatively well served by free cash machines, tending to have more free cash machines than prosperous areas or within one kilometre of a free-to-use machine."