The land adjacent to Oxford United's football stadium, on which the Ozone leisure complex now stands, was sold for less than half its actual value.

Figures obtained by the Oxford Mail under the Freedom of Information Act show the land on which the leisure park and Holiday Inn Express hotel were built was valued at about £3m in 1999 when it was acquired by the club's former owner, Firoz Kassam.

But a letter from the council to the District Auditor and leaked to the Mail suggested the council received just £1.294m.

Doubt remains over the exact figure paid for the land by Mr Kassam to Oxford City Council - a sum which has yet to be revealed.

The apparent discrepancy between the figures has led to renewed concerns the council did not receive best value for the land and stadium as required under the Local Government Act.

The situation was further complicated by District Auditor Andy Burns's report in July last year which concluded the council "probably" obtained best value - and he had decided to "give the council the benefit of the doubt".

Figures obtained by the Mail also reveal the value of Firoka Oxford United Stadium Ltd, the company set up by Mr Kassam to own and run the stadium, was £3.8m in 1999.

Mr Kassam was unavailable for comment.

The council is appealing against a decision by the Information Commissioner to reveal full details of the transactions.