Changes to transport in Oxford are having a dramatic effect on the health of the city's children, according to a study.

As part of a recent transport strategy, parts of the city were pedestrianised and restrictions placed on traffic entering the city.

The British Thoracic Society (BTS) tested 1,386 local children to discover whether the changes had affected their lungs.

The study found there was a significant improvement in lung functions and a reduction in breathing difficulties.

'Real benefits'

Dr Paul Cullinan, lung specialist at Imperial College London and member of the BTS, said: "This study is among the first of its kind, and the early signs are encouraging.

"It seems that reducing the burden of traffic running through a city centre can bring real health benefits to local people.

"The Oxford study could form the basis of a model which can be used in other cities in the European Union."

The researchers measured the lung functions of children aged between six and 10 from seven Oxford schools during 1998 and 2000.