The top executive at an award-winning manufacturer has announced a dramatic U-turn in his plans to relocate from Abingdon.

Peter Tudor, chief executive at medical equipment manufacturer Penlon, plans to keep the business in the town because he does not want to risk losing any of his workforce.

In January, Mr Tudor said he had reluctantly decided to move to Grove or Witney to develop a purpose-built new factory to accommodate the rapid expansion of the company.

That followed opposition to his plans to move from Radley Road to a new £6.5m development on Marcham Road which would also include a hotel. But after winning a coveted Queen's Award for Enterprise announced in Monday's Oxford Mail, Mr Tudor says he is determined the company will maintain its 50-year association with Abingdon and wait for an opportunity to move within its boundaries.

He said: "We are still looking to move but it will definitely be in the Abingdon area and there are some options for us.

"We were looking at Witney and Grove as it is quite easy to get development land whereas it is very difficult around Abingdon.

"But it would have meant uprooting more than 200 people."