Road remains closed following building collapse

A key route in a town centre remains closed almost a week after two people were injured when a building site partially collapsed.

Emergency services were called to the apartment block, which was under construction and surrounded by scaffolding, on the A4260 Cherwell Street in Banbury, Oxfordshire, on 21 October.

The Health and Safety Executive said on Tuesday it was investigating the incident, and its inspectors had visited the site.

The road, which sits on one of the market town's busiest junctions, has remained closed since the incident, causing traffic to divert and build up elsewhere.

Thames Valley Police previously said nine workers had been at the site when the scaffolding and building both partially collapsed.

Two people sustained injuries and were taken to hospital.

The force had initially managed the road closure, between Bridge Street and George Street, over the weekend "due to the risk of further collapse".

But it said it had now handed that responsibility over to Cherwell District Council, which has been contacted by the BBC for an update.

Councillor Gareth Epps, who is in charge of Oxfordshire's roads, said: "We can't afford to take any chances with people's safety.

"We will work with the police and with the health and safety executive to make sure that that's safe.

"We need to let their investigation take its course and then get the road back up and running again."

Since the road closure, locals have taken to social media to report widespread congestion and long delays around other town centre routes, including at Banbury Cross.