Funding for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty around Oxford has been slashed by a Government agency.

The North Wessex Downs, Chilterns and Cotswolds AONBs say cuts to their budgets from Natural England will hamper projects by local conservationists, schools and individuals.

The Cotswolds, which includes parts of west Oxfordshire, had its budget cut by £100,000, and part of the bid by the North Wessex Downs, which includes south Oxfordshire was reduced by £10,000. The Chilterns, which includes areas around Wallingford and Thame, saw its budget lopped by £68,000.

Cotswolds Conservation Board director Martin Lane said: "We are trying to work out which projects can go ahead and which can be cut."

Belinda Fowler from the North Wessex Downs AONB, said: "We don't know the fate of a second bid we put in, but we expect the worst."

Sir John Johnson, chairman of the Chilterns Conservation Board, said: "We didn't expect a cut of this magnitude, it will affect our work."

A spokesman for Natural England, which brings together English Nature, the Countryside Agency and the Rural Development Service, said the cuts were in direct AONB funding, but significant grants had been made through other projects.