A grade II listed pub near Banbury has been voted the best in North Oxfordshire.

The Butchers Arms in Balscote was declared pub of the year by the North Oxon Campaign for Real Ale.

The pub beat out the Coach and Horses in Banbury, the Duke at Clifton, the Red Lion in Deddington, the White Lion in Bicester, and the Peyton Arms in Stoke Lyne.

READ MORE: 'We turned it around': Pub owner proud to win best in district

Announcing the prestigious award on its Twitter account, a North Oxon CAMRA spokesperson said: “We had fantastic feedback from the branch members who took part in the voting this year.

“Everybody received a friendly welcome, and a great pint of beer, in all of the shortlisted pubs. The final tally was close, but ultimately The Butchers Arms deservedly took the top spot.

“Thank you to everybody who took part: the teams at all of the short-listed pubs, all of the committee who organised the competition, and of course all of the branch members who visited  the pubs and cast their vote.”

On its website, the Butchers Arms described itself as a “lovely little find” that is “hidden away in the North Oxfordshire Countryside.”

The pub has been owned by Hook Norton Brewery since 1878 and still has the original icehouse in the garden.

It hosts the traditional game Aunt Sally where competitors aim to knock a doll off a swivel on the top of a post by throwing wooden sticks.