ICE hockey club The Oxford City Stars is to sell its merchandise in the city centre for the first time, thanks to the Oxford Bus Company.

Later this month the Stars will have its products on sale at the Oxford Bus Company's Gloucester Green Customer Lounge and Travel Shop.

The development has come as part of the Stars' partnership with the Oxford Bus Company, who are sponsors of the ice hockey club.

As part of the growing link the Oxford Bus Company will also broadcast highlights footage of Stars games on the information screens of its vehicles.

Hats, T-shirts and jumpers will form part of the stock available in the shop later this month.

Oxford City Stars director Greig Box Turnbull said: "This gets the City Stars right into the heart of the city centre and provides exposure to thousands of visitors on a daily basis.

"It will help to generate revenue for the club for us to re-invest into developing the Stars and help to broaden the club's engagement with a wider audience.

"Our clothing range has strong Oxford branding on it and the Stars branding is quite subtle, so hopefully it will appeal to tourists, as well as supporters.

"We went to the Oxford Bus Company with the idea and they really embraced it.

"The club is run by volunteers, so this is fantastic progress for us and we are all extremely grateful to the Oxford Bus Company for their generous support and backing.

"Both the Stars and the Oxford Bus Company are community spirited and so there is a real synergy to the partnership."

Oxford Bus Company managing director Phil Southall said: "We are proud to support and sponsor The Oxford City Stars and have been impressed by their ambition, values and partnership lead approach.

"We are pleased to be able to help the Stars in this way and am I sure the partnership will continue to grow.

"The Oxford City Stars share our community values and it is great to be aligned so strongly in a partnership where serving our communities and supporting one another is at the heart of what we do.

"Both the Stars and the Oxford Bus Company are proud to play an integral part in the county and we look forward to progressing together."

Oxford Bus Company serves bus routes in Oxford and Abingdon, London and the airports, the BrookesBus service, in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, and the park-and-ride service which connects five park-and-rides to the city.

Oxford City Stars are currently top of the National League Division Two South.

A launch at the Gloucester Green Customer Lounge and Travel Shop is planned for later this month.