TO Robin Demczak, the 12-inch stone pig was a nice garden ornament.

But to his neighbour Pc John Ablett it was an insult in their ongoing boundary dispute – and he called in Thames Valley Police to arrest Mr Demczak for harassment.

Mr Demczak, 57, was held for almost seven hours at Witney Police Station before eventually being released without charge – although police say they are still investigating the case.

Last night, Mr Demczak was preparing a complaint to send to the Independent Police Complaints Commission over his treatment.

Mr Demczak said: “I was just shocked when it happened. I kept thinking to myself ‘what is going on. Why am I being arrested?’ “I couldn’t believe it when they told me what they had arrested me for. I kept telling them that the stone pig had been out there for years.”

Mr Demczak, who once kept as many as 40 pigs in a sty at the end of the garden, said he was freed after eventually managing to persuade police he was telling the truth.

He said: “I told them that I had had the pig for years before my neighbour had even moved into his house.

“I’ve got other stone ornaments of other animals, foxes, birds, things like that. Not just the pig.”

The dad-of-two said he had been locked in a boundary dispute with Pc Ablett for the past year over a footpath that divides their back gardens, which the policeman claims Mr Demczak has no right to use. “We don’t get on very well,” said Mr Demczak.

A complaint was also made about a sign on the shed in which Mr Demczak kept his pigs, which reads “No Pigs.”

He added: “I put that up after the last one died, it wasn’t a dig at anyone.”

Mr Demczak said when he returned home after being arrested on suspicion of harassment he found his 86-year-old disabled mother Vera in a distressed state. He said: “She has diabetes and I look after her. She was left by herself and didn’t know what was going on.

“When I walked in she was crying her eyes out wondering what had been going on.”

Pc Ablett was not available for comment yesterday.

Thames Valley Police has confirmed the arrest was made in relation to a complaint on Saturday, April 4.

A spokesman said: “The complaint was made by a Thames Valley Police officer, who as a resident of Witney is entitled to the same policing service as other residents in the area. Thames Valley Police has a duty to conduct all its investigations impartially. The case is still being investigated and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”