Abingdon's oldest retail furniture business, Vineys, has been sold to a Birmingham company.

The firm's two stores, in the Fairacres retail park and nearby Nuffield Way, are now selling off their stock.

The company, which has been trading for 114 years, has been bought out by furniture retailer Lee Longlands.

The long-established West Midlands company started more than 100 years ago and has shops in Birmingham, Leamington Spa and Cheltenham.

One of Viney's non-executive directors, Paddy Viney, from Abingdon, said: "It's a sad time and the end of an era for the family, but the time has come when you have to decide what direction to take.

"My brother Nick was the owner but he lives abroad. The managing director was Wendy King and she's approaching retirement.

"There was no-one in the family who wanted to continue with the business so it was decided to sell. The good news is that it has been sold to another well established family business, who will continue in the same fashion as Vineys. Our staff of nearly 40 will be retained and so too will the name."

Vineys was started in 1888. It opened a department store near the old County Hall off the Market Place and other members of the family ran small shops.

Vineys' last store in the town centre was in Ock Stree, near Stratton Way, now occupied by a solicitors' office.