A new housing development has been named after a war hero who died serving in World War II.

George Dowell, who lived in Faringdon, was killed in 1944 aged 24.

Dowell's Court is the first development in the town for Oxford Citizens Housing Association (OCHA), part of the GreenSquare housing group, and includes nine two-bedroom and three-bedroom homes.

At the start of the war, Mr Dowell was a member of the Territorial Army and saw active service as a rifleman in 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Core.

Mr Dowell's youngest brother, Gordon Dowell, and other members of the Dowell family joined OCHA's managing director Andrew Smith to mark the official naming of the new Faringdon street.

"This is a very proud day for me to see my brother honoured in this way," he said.

The new homes are designed for maximum insulation and have solar panels on the roof.

William Halsall, one of the new residents of Dowell's Court, commented: "You only need the heating on for half an hour in the morning and it stays warm all day.

“With solar panels we also have a constant supply of hot water with very little drain on our resources or the environment."

The development was supported by funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and contractor for the scheme was Cotswold Homes.

Marita Ford, of GreenSquare, added: "We have been really impressed with the quality of the homes and the build process and are keen to work with this small house builder again," said .

For more information, contact OCHA on 01865 773000 or visit www.ocha.org.uk.