CAMPAIGNERS in Cradley are celebrating after a planning application to turn a village pub into housing was withdrawn.

The application to turn the Grade II listed pub, which has served the village for 300 years, into housing had been submitted by owner David Woodward.

A group of residents called the Cradley Crown Crusaders was formed in November to focus opposition to the project. A 758-signature petition was handed to Herefordshire planners in January, along with 200 letters of objection.

Crusaders spokeswoman Sally Ramsden said the decision makes the campaigners feel their work in opposing the application has been worthwhile.

"Mr Woodward should now open the Crown as a pub or sell it to someone who will enjoy the lifestyle that the Crown, the village and the location has to offer," she said.

Mark Haslam, of the Hereford and Worcester branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), pointed out that many of the county's smaller villages support a pub.

"Cradley, with a population of 1,650, is nearly four times the size of the average Herefordshire village that benefits from having a pub," he said.

"Add to this fact that Cradley already successfully supports a shop, post office, village hall, surgery, school and social club and it's surprising that anyone could not see the role for a village pub in this populous and vibrant community."

He offered Mr Woodward CAMRA's help in marketing his property as a pub.

"CAMRA is now confident that the pub being offered for sale in good faith will be the first step to its eventual re-opening," said Mr Haslam.

Mr Woodward said he would reveal his future plans next week.