A shopkeeper and his wife chased a knife-wielding gang of robbers through a village.

Arshad and Abida Dogar

Arshad Dogar, 32, and his wife, Abida, 31, chased the three robbers after a raid on their post office store in Long Wittenham, near Abingdon, at about 4.30pm on Friday.

The gang -- two men and one woman, thought to be in their early 20s -- took about £400 from the Chapel Stores, after one of the men threatened Mrs Dogar's sister, Sajida, 22, with a knife.

After they left the shop, she raised the alarm.

Mr Dogar followed the gang along the village's High Street in his car, while his wife followed on foot.

A neighbour who saw the chase offered Mrs Dogar a lift in her car, and later helped trap the gang in nearby Fieldside.

Mr Arshad managed to stop the woman, while the two men got into a get-away car. He then tried to grab the men through the window of their red Audi, but was thrown clear of the car when it drove off.

Meanwhile, neighbours called the police, and the woman was arrested and taken to Abingdon Police Station.

The two men were later traced and also arrested.

Mrs Dogar, who has run the shop with her husband for three-and-a-half years, said: "My husband and I caught one of the robbers ourselves. We did the job for the police.

"One of the men had pointed a knife at my sister's stomach and told her to give him all the cash. My husband then ran after them and I was behind him.

"One lady told me to get in her car. I was angry all our money had been taken, and wasn't about to let them get away with it.

"We trapped the robbers and I said to them 'You can't get away with this'.

"The men drove off, but we ran after the girl, blocked her way and grabbed her hand. We took her back to the shop and sat her on the floor."

She added: "I work here from 6am to 7pm. I worked very hard to earn that money, and wasn't prepared to let them get away with it.

"It is the first time we have been robbed. They had a knife. It makes me nervous but I am not going to give in.

"It was very nice for people in the village to help. I'm glad they didn't run back to their houses and shut their doors. I really appreciate it."

Carol Parsons, of Fieldside, said: "A lot of people have been robbed in this area, but this time the thieves didn't get away with it. The villagers helped catch the woman.

"We like and respect Mr and Mrs Dogar. I am proud of what they did. This is what villages are about."

Insp Phil Rogers, of Thames Valley Police, said: "The couple were certainly brave and public-spirited. It also shows good community spirit.

"There is a determination within villages to maintain post office stores in their area."

But he added: "I can't advise or suggest this was an appropriate thing to do."