The closure of Didcot's only youth club for under-13s could drive children on to the streets, parents and councillors have warned.

Their concerns were voiced after Didcot's Junior Club for eight- to 12-year-olds was forced to shut after 16 years due to a funding crisis.

Up to 100 youngsters used the club, based at the Vibe Youth Centre, in Park Road, on Thursdays, but the 90-minute sessions stopped at the end of last month.

A £4,000 grant had been promised to the club from an independent source, but it pulled out at the eleventh hour.

Half the club's £8,000 running costs have always come from Didcot Town Council.

Didcot deputy mayor Tony Harbour said: "The junior youth club is something we actively want to encourage. "

He said it had been a good club which deserved support, but it had closed at the end of May.

The county council will not fund the sessions because the club catered for under 13s - outside the remit of its youth service.

Carolyn Stead, of Meadow Way, whose 10-year-old son Ryan had been going to the club for six months, said: "We were very disappointed.

"I think it's really important to engage children in less formal activities in a safe environment. It's quite a vulnerable age group - we need to reach them so they don't start off playing on the streets and turn into intimidating groups of teenagers."

Councillors Jane Murphy and Lesley Hood said they had received complaints from residents since the club closed.

Mrs Hood, former leader of the Junior Club, said: "It's such a shame. When I took the club, there were about 35 to 40 young people at each session. But overall there were up to 100 who used it - there were that many at one Christmas party."

Mrs Murphy is now campaigning to find the money for the club to reopen.

But youth worker Kevin Brophy said restarting the Junior Club was not a priority.

He said: "At the moment there is a funding issue and also a capacity issue with what my youth workers can do. It doesn't mean we will never do it again, but it is not a priority for the youth service."

A youth club for children aged over 13 meets on Wednesdays from 7pm until 9pm at the Vibe centre.