Magistrates court closure extended until November

A court that was due to reopen in July following a refurbishment is now expected to reopen in November.

Oxford Magistrates' Court closed in January for "vital improvement works", including a roof replacement, and was set to be closed for about six months.

The HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said the site "continues to undergo vital repair works", adding: "We expect it to reopen in early November."

It said cases would continue to be heard at Reading Magistrates' Court, High Wycombe Magistrates' Court and Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court for the period of the closure.

The works are part of a £148.5m nationwide Ministry of Justice maintenance programme to improve the condition of court buildings.

HMCTS previously said the temporary closure had been "to ensure the building is fit for everyone who uses it".

It also said work had been accommodated in other court houses so no backlogs had been created.

BBC News understands that while undertaking initial improvement works, contractors identified the need for additional works to ensure the site was fit for public use once open.