Work to strip cladding from Oxford tower blocks begins

Windrush Tower is one of two that is having the rain-screen cladding replaced

Contractors have begun removing cladding from two tower blocks in Oxford where samples failed fire safety tests.

The results of the checks, which followed the fatal Grenfell Tower Fire, were announced in July last year but residents have remained in the flats.

The cladding on the Windrush and Evenlode towers will be replaced with material meeting new government standards, Oxford City Council said.

It expects the work to finish in July.

Mike Rowley, Board Member for Housing at Oxford City Council, said the new cladding would "put to rest concerns about the safety of the tower blocks".

He added safety measures at the towers would "exceed requirements" once it was installed.

In August a fund of £1m was set aside by Oxford City Council to pay for the work.

A spokesperson for the authority said they would still be looking to make the government contribute but no new announcements had been made by ministers.