A British National Party meeting in Wallingford on Wednesday has been cancelled after the intervention of the town's mayor.

BNP Oxfordshire organiser Stephen Herbert, from Wantage, had booked Centre 70, in Goldsmiths Lane.

The meeting was scrapped on the advice of mayor Betty Atkins.

She said: "I contacted Mr Herbert because I was very worried that there might be trouble at the meeting.

"Centre 70 is used by lots of different groups and on Wednesday there is a children's ballet night.

"I certainly did not want the youngsters getting involved in shouting, arguments and fights if opponents of the BNP turned up.

"Mr Herbert was very pleasant. He understood the situation and agreed to cancel the meeting.

"He also asked if I would go to a future meeting to hear more about the BNP and I said that I would."

Mr Herbert said: "It was to have been just a meeting for the membership. We organise meetings in different towns but we do not advertise them on the website.

"Mrs Atkins was very reasonable and I understood her reasons for wanting to cancel."