THE arrival of the Internet, some said, would signal the beginning of the end for local press. Why would you buy the local paper to tell you something you could potentially find at the flick of a button?

But this argument is flawed. The reality is that without the local press, accurate and in-depth local news is simply not readily available.

It is, however, important that local papers evolve to suit the modern world - a world where information is instantaneous and easily accessed.

You no longer need to wait for the evening news to catch up with the day's events, nor do you need to wait for the weekend papers to read in-depth feature articles, to view the latest houses on the local market, or to check situations vacant columns.

Recognising this shift towards instant news and needs of the local community, the Oxford Mail and its sister papers - The Oxford Times, the Oxford Star, the Witney Gazette, the Banbury Cake, the Herald Series and the Bicester Advertiser - are providing you with a fantastic online service that works as an interactive tool to accompany your favourite local papers.

The websites (www.oxfordmail.net, www.theoxfordtimes.net, www.witneygazette.net, www.banburycake.net, www.heraldseries.net and www.bicesteradvertiser.net) work in conjunction with our newspapers - not only by updating stories instantly, but also allowing you to comment on the news or send in your photographs, plus a whole host of other interactive features.