The plight of an Oxfordshire village has caught the attention of mogul Elon Musk after residents held a symbolic vote to seek "independence" from the UK in protest at plans to house 1,250 asylum seekers nearby. Piddington, near Bicester, made headlines after 175 residents gathered in the village hall on July 4 - American Independence Day - to vote on whether the village should hold a referendum on leaving Britain.

As first reported by the Daily Express, the symbolic motion passed with 96% voting in favour. It was sparked by Home Office proposals to house at least 1,250 single adult male asylum seekers aged 18 to 65 at a neighbouring former Ministry of Defence storage depot.

Men staying at MoD Bicester Site A will not be detained and will follow a "sign in, sign out" process, according to the Home Office. The site has a perimeter fence running directly against the boundaries of properties in the village and also backs on to a children's play area funded by the parish council.

Villagers are now seeking legal advice to challenge the Home Office plans and have also written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham about it. Tesla boss Musk shared a news article citing Piddington's vote on his X page, which has more than 241 million followers.

The SpaceX founder, who often comments on immigration issues in Britain, wrote: "Soon, this will happen to your town."

Reacting to their rural community being highlighted by the world's richest man, Samantha Phillips, who has lived in Piddington for 26 years, told the Daily Express: "It's really important, because he's giving us a voice.

"The government who made these decisions haven't consulted us at all, there's been nothing democratic about this process. So publicity like this is helping hugely to show why we believe this is not the right place to put these asylum seekers."

Teacher and mum-of-one Samantha, 61, said there is no infrastructure to support the migrants if they arrive.

She added: "No one has come down from the Home Office and looked at the village. It's very rural. There are no shops, no pub, no pavements, there's no street lighting."

Fellow resident Ian Darby, 62, moved to Piddington 16 years ago and said seeing Mr Musk post about the village, which has around 360 residents, "will hopefully get this asylum centre proposal debated at the highest level".

Tim McNally, chair of Piddington Parish Council, revealed: "We have had no input into the proposal.

"We have been asking questions, and nothing has come back."

Several proposals to use former MoD sites around the country to house asylum seekers are now active.

The Home Office said: "We are closing every asylum hotel and moving asylum seekers into basic accommodation including ex-military sites. This is an important step in ending the perception you can arrive illegally and be put up in a hotel."