DEVASTATED landlady Penny Chaplin claims she was forced to close a popular village pub after being left "high and dry".

Penny, 34, said she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown because of her struggle to keep open The Dawnay Arms, at Newton-on-Ouse.

"It has been horrendous," she said.

"I put two years of my life into the place and must have lost more than £2,000. I was even forced to buy barrels of beer from the cash and carry."

Ms Chaplin took over the pub two years ago with her then partner, Garry Barrett, who now runs The Roman Bath, in St Sampson's Square, York.

She said she was employed as a licensee by pub company The Three Ms, but claims she was later left to fend for herself when the firm went into receivership. The landlady said the pub went into receivership not long after she took over.

"I was left totally high and dry," said Ms Chaplin, who has secured a temporary job as a barmaid at the Hare And Hounds in Riccall.

"The bills were not being paid so I had no phone line for three months.

"John Smiths stopped selling me beer so I had to get it myself out of my own pocket.

"Eventually, the pub's electricity was cut off. I went through absolute hell trying to keep it open.

"I nearly had a nervous breakdown."

Ms Chaplin said customers who had booked the pub for Christmas meals had all been informed of the closure.

The Dawnay Arms, which was well respected in the region for its food, was run by York police Chief Superintendent Tim Madgwick for three years before he joined the police force. The country pub, which is on the banks of the River Ouse, is believed to be worth around £525,000 and has two bars, a restaurant and a beer garden.

A spokesman for Companies House said the Three M's Pub Company had gone into receivership on February 11, 2005.

The firm dealing with the case is Manchester-based Begbies Traynor, but no-one was available for comment at the time of going to press.

Updated: 09:41 Tuesday, December 13, 2005