Four men broke into a Witney pub and caused more than £1,000 damage - days before it is due to reopen after being damaged in last July's floods.

Police are appealing for information about the incident at the Old Court Inn, in Bridge Street, at 11.55pm on Wednesday.

Manager Franck Lahaye said: "They more or less dropped paint all over the patio, all over the reception. There was a lot of mess."

Mr Lahaye and owner Julian Bones were upstairs at the pub, when they heard noises downstairs.

He said: "We heard some banging, which was not normal, so we went down and saw them leaving.

"It was a nightmare. Fortunately the paint was still wet, so we managed to get rid of most of it but we spent the next four hours cleaning up. It was the last thing we needed."

The vandals broke into the rear seating area of the pub and took white paint from a storage shed, then threw it over garden furniture and decking.

They got into the hall through a door and threw more paint over the floor and an antique table.

The pub is the last in west Oxfordshire yet to reopen after the floods. Mr Bones has spent around £100,000 on repairs. It will still reopen as planned on Thursday.

The men were wearing hooded tops with the hoods up, three of which were dark.

The fourth man was wearing a light-hooded top with dark horizontal stripes, jeans and white trainers.

Pc Lee Forrest said: "This was a mindless act of damage, which will cost about £1,100 to put right."

Anyone who may have seen the group near the pub should call Pc Forrest on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.