A village shopkeeper is quitting after being repeatedly targeted by vandals and shoplifters, writes Paul Warner.

The final straw for Peter Holloway came when he was questioned by police and told he faced possible assault charges for tackling young thieves.

Mr Holloway, 52, who runs Harris's Stores, at Steeple Aston, near Bicester, slapped one teenager and hit another with a bottle when a fight broke out after he caught one of them allegedly shoplifting.

Police have now told him he will not face charges but he said today he had had enough and would be selling his shop. In the past, the front door has been smashed and he and his wife, Sue, have faced rowdy behaviour outside.

On Sunday evening, he made a citizen's arrest after a 16-year-old boy, already banned from his shop, apparently tried to steal wine, whisky and beer.

Mr Holloway locked the teenager in the storeroom and dialled 999, but a fight broke out when two of his friends tried to free their colleague.

Mr Holloway said: "Steeple Aston is a lovely village, but when we took over the business, we never anticipated this. "My wife is getting very stressed. Hopefully somebody will take over and continue running it as a shop and post office. It will be a shame for the village to lose its shop, all because of a couple of mindless individuals."

Mr Holloway, who has run the shop for two-and-a-half years, said he had "no regrets" in using force to protect his property despite the possibility of arrest.

He said: "They were rowdy and aggressive and they stole alcohol. When the other two came in, there was a fight. All I was doing was trying to stop them from stealing from my store." One of the youths, who cannot be named, was bailed pending further inquiries and the other two were cautioned.

Villager Hubert Mitchell, 68, said he would be very disappointed if the shop closed. He said: "It's our lifeline. I blame the yobs because Mr Holloway is trying to run his business and he is being targeted all the time."

Villager Paul O' Sullivan, 72, said: "I fully understand Mr Holloway's reasons. I don't blame him for wanting to sell up."

Parish council chairman Margaret Mason said Mr Holloway had been severely provoked. Pc Bob Donohue, at Deddington police station, said actions of self-defence, like those taken by Mr Holloway, would be "judged on their own merits".