Nicky Dobson has had enough of bureaucracy and has shut up her farm shop.

She blamed South Oxfordshire District Council -- and to show her disapproval she had one last dig at them.

The council has locked horns with her over unauthorised roadside signs advertising the farm shop at Crowmarsh.

As a parting shot, Miss Dobson turned the offending signs inside out and wrote a slogan across them telling motorists the council had closed her business.

Trevor Brown, the council's planning appeals and enforcement officer, denied the authority was responsible for the closure.

He said: "The farm shop adverts are among a number of unauthorised advertisements at the entrance to this site.

"Although the council has been in touch with the operators, no enforcement action has yet been taken to require their removal."

Miss Dobson's St Mary's Fruiterers started in January 2000 and sold food, flowers, compost and fuel.

Passing trade was hit by the foot-and-mouth epidemic, as people did not want to go on farmland.

Then Miss Dobson was ordered to remove the signs, which she claimed lost her about £45,000 because people did not know the shop was there.

She said: "The signs were a vital part of my business, so I put them back.

"But since then officers of the council have pressured me to apply for planning permission -- which would have been refused as it has been with other roadside signs -- or to remove the signs. I've just had too much hassle so I've closed the shop.

"The council claims on its logo that it listens to people and says it wants to promote economic development in the area.

"But I've seen no evidence of either. Local people and regular customers have backed me through thick and thin, and many of them have become friends.

"But I just can't take any more of this bureaucracy stuff."