CROPREDY and Little Bourton are to lose a regular bus service to Banbury.

Stagecoach is to withdraw the villages from the 200 route from December 10.

The villages were included in the Banbury to Daventry route when the A361 was closed for flood defence work in March, diverting the bus through the villages.

Stagecoach took over from operator Geoff Amos coaches when it went out of business in August. But the company says it cannot keep the villages in the route as this would hit punctuality.

Trevor Bayliss, manager for Banbury services, said: “We are aware that this may prove unpopular with residents in Cropredy, who have benefited from this diversion. However, the original route will provide a more reliable service for passengers.”