Villagers have been urged to be patient after heavy rain turned a popular park into what has been described as an "alien landscape".

Orchard Recreation Ground, off Evans Lane, in Kidlington, is undergoing a revamp as part of a £500,000 project to upgrade the village's football pitches.

But rainy weather in recent weeks has halted work - leaving the park a mud bath.

Nicky Marsh, community projects manager at Kidlington Parish Council, said: "When the top soil was stripped off, the contractors found the subsoil was extremely wet.

"In places there were pools of water.

"They were forced to pull the machinery off the field as the soil could not bear the weight in the wet conditions.

"Unfortunately, just as the field had started to dry out, a great deal of rain fell over a few days and flooded the field again.

"We are getting a lot of flack from residents.

"I understand people are worried because the work was supposed to take three weeks.

"But we need the pitches to dry out before the next phase of work - putting in drainage - can be done. Until then we can't do anything.

"It's really disappointing, but we ask the residents to bear with us at this difficult time."

She also urged children not to play on the building site, because it is dangerous.

Vandals have been climbing on the mounds of top soil and throwing rocks at the football pavilion.

Pitches at Ron Groves Park, Park Hill, Stratfield Brake and Exeter Close are also benefiting from the £500,000 injection of cash.

Work includes constructing new drainage systems, levelling out pitches, getting rid of mole infestations and planting new turf.

The money came from the Football Foundation, Sport England and local councils following successful grant applications from the Kidlington Recreational Trust, which manages many of the village's football pitches.

Chairman Nick Duval said the work at Orchard Rec was designed to create three first-class pitches, free from the perennial problem of waterlogging.

He said: "The work is going to take longer than expected and we don't know when it will be completed.

"The contractors have had the worst possible weather to work on drainage.

"We have written to residents explaining what happening and we urge them to stick with us."

He said the delays inconvenienced all users of the sports field.

He added: "I feel sorry for the dog walkers at the moment, but it will be alright in the end."