Bikers have been banned from their meeting point at a country pub because of a "handful of idiots" who risk lives by performing dangerous stunts.

Ian Leslie, manager of Sturdy's Castle, on Banbury Road near Kidlington, has told bikers to stop gathering in the pub's car park on Monday nights to protect his customers.

The meetings have attracted hundreds of motorcycle owners a night during the past three years but reckless behaviour by bikers on Monday convinced Mr Leslie to call it a day.

Between 750 and 800 bikers were present when three cyclists performed wheelies and crossed at high speed on a straight section of the A4260 outside the pub, despite repeated warnings from the police.

Mr Leslie said: "The problem we have is spectators go on the road to watch them. I had to walk up and down to get about 50 of them back off the road.

"I don't want to lose my biker customers and I'm not against the majority of them, but we've got to finish the bike nights unfortunately because of a handful of idiots. I'm going to write them a letter telling them to go away."

Mr Leslie took the decision despite the fact that the bikers contribute £1,000 extra to bar takings on Monday nights.

He said: "I'm prepared to forget about the money. I'm too old for the aggravation and it's extremely dangerous.

"I couldn't live with it if one of the guys dropped a bike. It's a fairly busy road and it could take out 15 of the spectators and there are people with pushchairs. "

Last year police threatened the bikers with a zero-tolerance policy towards driving offences to force them to behave. They also held a display on bike safety at the pub on Monday, April 23.

Sgt Bill Butcher, of Kidlington police, said: "We have been in constant communication with the licensee to get this under control but we don't have the resources to have a presence there every Monday night. The only way to stop people doing stunts there is to take away the audience."