A well-used gateway into Oxford is littered with rubbish, broken glass and surrounded by a dilapidated fence - but no-one seems sure who is responsible for the eyesore.

The stretch of land runs along Botley Road towards the city centre from the junction with the A420.

It falls on the line of the boundaries for two councils - the Vale of White Horse and Oxford City Council.

But both said they were not responsible for the land, which runs next to a busy bus stop and is at least a two foot drop below the level of the pavement.

Briony Newport, a North Hinksey parish councillor, of Stanley Close, Botley, said: "The way they determine the boundaries is very strange.

"So far, I have been told this land belongs to Oxford City Council, the Vale of White Horse, and a variety of different businesses."

A spokesman for the Vale of White Horse District Council said they were responsible for some of the land on Botley Road, but only on the opposite side.

A city council spokesman confirmed the land was not theirs and instead pointed the finger at Jewson Holdings and Mid Counties Co-op, neither of whom could say if it was their land.

The late Robert Maxwell has also been suggested as a former owner of the patch of "no-man's land".

Oxford city councillor Jean Fooks, executive member for a cleaner city, said if the land was privately owned there was little the council could do.

She said: "Obviously, it is undesirable and I am not happy about it. But there are limited powers to what we can do about it if it does not belong to the council.

"If it is a health hazard in the sense of rotting food that would attract rats, that is something environmental health would take very seriously - but this does not sound like that."

She said if she was given more information about the site she would look into what could be done, but warned the council could be powerless to intervene.

Mrs Newport added: "Goodness knows who this no-man's land belongs to but I wish they would look after it better.

"It is not just an eyesore, but it is dangerous as well.

"The fence has completely fallen away in places and it is right by a bus stop.

"I am surprised someone hasn't already fallen down.

"It won't be long before someone is seriously injured."