An inquiry which could leave a garden centre unable to sell most of its stock has been postponed after a 10-year wrangle because a council officer has left his post.

The Goodey family, of Oxford Road, Garsington, have been investigated by South Oxfordshire District Council planning officers who are questioning the long-term legality of the garden centre, Thamesdown Farm Nursery.

A planning inquiry, which had been due to be held last week, was adjourned as the council felt it did not have enough information, following the resignation of the case officer. It will now be heard in July.

John Goodey said: "It is ludicrous.

"This is an ongoing saga - now we have been through three planning inquiries and we have run up £15,000 in legal costs fighting to keep our business open.

"My father has had a heart attack and my mother has been ill in hospital because of the stress of this. The business is part of their lifestyle and has been for so many years. They are very distressed over the thought of losing it."

According to council planning officers, the garden centre does not have planning permission to sell any plants or produce other than what they have grown themselves.

But Mr Goodey, a parish councillor, claims he has a historic right to run the garden centre as a business selling imported products as well as homegrown ones.

He said: "We have evidence of accounts that have been done over the past 17 years.

"Me and my mum started the business in the 70s and we have built it up over many years - it is ridiculous to shut us down now."

A council spokesman said: "We do not like to have adjournments but in this case there was nothing else we could do.

"The enforcement officer who had been dealing with the case has left and we did not feel we had enough information for the inquiry to go ahead."

The inquiry will be held on July 20-21.