KEBAB king Mahmood Akhtar can keep his pitch in an Oxford street - after 300 punters backed his plea to the council.

Mahmood's van is a regular sight outside the Zodiac nightclub in Cowley Road. But his livelihood was threatened when Oxford City Council tried to slap a ban on street trading.

What officials didn't expect was the meaty backing Mahmood got from customers angry at the council's plans.

They put together more than 70 pages of letters and signatures demanding the little red van be allowed to go on churning out chips and kebabs. Now a delighted Mahmood, of Abingdon Road, Oxford, has won the right to stay - even though councillors have pushed through the ban on 43 other roads. Cowley Road itself will go to public consultation.

He said: "I don't consider people my customers, I consider them my friends. I think that's why I'm popular - plus I do the best chips in Oxford."

But Cllr Michael McAndrews stormed: "This is 70 pages of rubbish and it's outrageous."

Story date: Thursday 17 February

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