Residents in a North Yorkshire community are calling on planners to give them a chance to save their village pub after an application to turn it into a house.

The Horseshoe Inn at West Rounton, between Northallerton and Yarm, has been a pub since the 1860s, but struggled to carry on after Covid.

Since January, it has been up for sale with the price reduced to about £300,000 - but the owners say there has been no interest.

Now they have applied to turn the Grade II listed building into a house and residents have formed a community group to try to save, The parish council is also applying for it to be made a community asset.

Darlington and Stockton Times: The Horseshoe Inn at West Rounton

Amid confusion over when the planning application is due to be decided and concern it is not due to go to the planning committee, there are calls for the decision to be delayed to give residents a chance to put a rescue package together.

A petition with 35 signatures has been submitted.

Campaigners said in a statement: "It was unanimously agreed at a public meeting that a petition should be lodged with the planning department to ask for any decision to be adjourned until the community has more time to consider and explore credible alternative solutions."

Other objections have been lodged. Helen Mayne said: "The Horseshoe Inn is a valuable community resource in the village of West Rounton and the only one that we have.

"I feel that it will be a massive loss to the village and, as a community, we need some time to explore other avenues such as buying or leasing the pub ourselves, work on which is already underway but does need more time to finalise."

Jason Finch added: "As one of the regular users of this public house over the years I do not wish to lose our valued local.

"It would be beneficial to all of the village and surrounding community to have the time to explore what can be done to save this Grade II listed building from becoming a residential dwelling. As a small community it is vital to retain it as a gathering point for villagers and locals old and new."

In the application, the owner says there are three other pubs within a three mile radius of the Horseshoe Inn and despite being advertised widely for sale there had been no interest or viewings.

He added: "It is obvious and apparent that the Horseshoe Inn is no longer financially and operationally viable.

"There is no reasonable prospect or indeed any need to secure a viable satisfactory alternative use, there is no likelihood of improvement in the long term future which could change this position."