A SHOPKEEPER told today how a knife-wielding raider fled from his store after he produced an iron bar from under the counter.

It is believed the same robber raided two Oxfordshire post offices on the same day.

Clement Bettles, 64, who has run his general store in Abingdon Road, Drayton, for 46 years, was confronted by a raider for the first time yesterday shortly after 4.30pm.

He refused to give in to the thug's threats and produced an iron bar.

"The knifeman took one look at the iron bar and fled," said Mr Bettles. "I have worked too hard for the money to give it away."This was the first time someone has tried to rob me and I hope it will be the last. The man had a six-inch kitchen knife and if he had come any closer I might have been forced to hit him.

"All I wanted to do was scare the robber off and fortunately it succeeded I don't think I have done anything heroic and I just want to forget about it now but I would do the same thing again in similar circumstances. I won't be intimidated."

The raider was described as 5ft 6ins tall, 20 years old and wearing a blue donkey jacket and a brown scarf over his face. He ran off towards Steventon.

A police spokesman said: "Mr Bettles was acting in self-defence but we don't encourage people to keep weapons under the counter because sometimes it can backfire. It is quite urgent that we catch this man because he seems to have targeted three shops."

Robberies also took place at post offices in High Street, Clifton Hampden and Cowley Road, Littlemore, Oxford, in the same afternoon and detectives are considering possible links.

At the post office in Littlemore the man brandished a knife before escaping with cigarettes. Anyone with information should telephone the police.

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