Morris dancers were stunned when their annual performance at a village pub was cancelled because of fears they would spread foot and mouth.

For the last 12 years, Jabberwocky, a North West clog morris dancing group based in Chesterton near Bicester, has entertained regulars at the Falkland Arms in Great Tew.

The group had invited fellow Oxfordshire dancers, the Rockhopper morris team, to join them for an evening of foot-stamping fun, but the night was called off at the last minute.

Jabberwocky spokesman Nigel Holt said: "We had organised the evening to celebrate the side's 12th anniversary and had put up posters advertising the evening, but were told pub locals did not want morris dancers and farmers bringing foot and mouth to the pub.

"None of us are farmers or have any connection with farming. A situation which is already quite serious is being made worse by people over-reacting."

Falkland Arms landlady Sarah-Jane Courage, said that once the foot and mouth crisis had settled down, she would invite Jabberwocky back.

She said: "I was stuck between a rock and a hard place because I have got a business to run which depends on my customers, but if foot and mouth comes to the area there will be no business left.

"The Falkland Arms is in the middle of a farming estate and there was genuine concern amongst my regulars because the understanding was that some of the morris men are from Bicester, where there has been a reported case of the disease."

The Elephant and Castle pub in Bloxham stepped in to the rescue, and the Jabberwocky evening went ahead there.

Read more about Jabberwocky on their website