IT IS the last remnant from the intriguing wartime history of a scrapyard near Bicester.

This fountain of sculpted mermaids still stands at LC Hughes scrap metal yard in London Road – and has done ever since it was as a prisoner of war camp during the Second World War.

The owners are looking for help discovering more about its history and are hoping to uncover pictures in the process.

The scrap metal yard’s technical compliance manager Gareth Hughes said: “Our scrapyard was once a prison of war camp and a small part of that resides in the form of a mermaid fountain that the Italian prisoners built during that time.

“Little is known about the fountain and I am looking for any old photos that local people may have taken back then either of the statue or the camp.”

The Bicester scrapyard has been running since 1968 but the site was previously used as a camp for Italian prisoners and possibly German prisoners as well during the war.

It was known as Old Windmills Camp 632 and 653.

Online Bicester History Society describes the POWs as having worked on farms, in clay pits or maintaining the countryside.

It also notes the Italian prisoners were well known for their “artistic and craft skills” such as the surviving fountain.

An oil painting by H. Rúsiring given to Major NC Kerr, camp commandant, in 1946 depicts the camp with several half-barrel buildings, having housed hundreds of German prisoners.

These prisoners were used as a source of manpower amid Government labour shortages.

If you have any information regarding the sites history or pictures get in touch with our reporter Naomi Herring at naomi.herring@oxfordmail.co.uk