A frame used to support hanging baskets in Bicester has been fenced off after a man gashed his head when he walked into it.

Stewart Warren complained to Bicester Town Council and Cherwell District Council about the incident, and the frame has been fenced off.

The accident happened when Mr Warrent, 43, and colleagues were walking through Bicester Market Square towards Sheep Street, between 8pm and 9pm on October 1.

Mr Warrent, from Stevenage, had been refurbishing an industrial unit on the MacKay estate in London Road, Bicester, and was staying in the town while work was completed.

Mr Warrent said: "I turned my head to point something out and carried on walking.

"As I am 6ft 3ins tall my forehead hit the bottom branch of the frame. I gashed my forehead above an eye.

"Although the injury was not serious and did not need medical treatment, I was concerned other tall people might have the same accident because the metal was painted black and was not easy to see."

Carol Steward, town council environment committee chairman, said the frame was called a flower tower or tree and was used to display hanging baskets for Bicester in Bloom. Mrs Steward said: "When I heard about the accident we took action. I think the problem was the frame was not removed because a contractor did not have specialist lifting gear to take it out."

Cherwell's urban centres manager, Paul Pinkney, said: "It was an unfortunate accident. We made a risk assessment and decided to put up the barriers."