Taxpayers cover gutter theft cost

There has been a nationwide spate of iron drain cover thefts

Public money will have to be used to cover the cost of a spate of drain grating thefts in an Oxfordshire road.

Twenty five gratings have been stolen on a half-mile stretch of the A4095 between Bampton and Clanfield.

Oxfordshire County Council said it will cost between £2,000 and £3,000 to replace them "as soon as possible".

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Oxfordshire County Council's member for transport, said: "Thieves are robbing the taxpayer of basic facilities and money."

He added: "It would be easy to quip that this is gutter level behaviour.

"Needless to say the police have been informed."

There has been a nationwide spate of iron drain cover thefts, each one weighing up to 110lb (50kg).

A recent increase in the price of scrap iron is thought to be a contributing factor.