The owners of a village pub have been astonished to discover a planning application has been lodged to turn it into a house.

Brenda Hutton runs the Two Sawyers at Woolage Green but has decided to retire and is marketing the Grade II-listed 18th century inn as a going concern.

She is passionate about the business having saved it from closure in 2005 with the backing of a village campaign and turned it into a popular community hub.

But a speculative application has now been submitted to the city council from a Londoner for its residential conversion.

Louis Cayzer says the only changes that he will be make to the property are the removal of the bar and some re-decoration to the bedrooms and downstairs living area.

He also wants to erect a new fence to the boundary of the property.

But the proposals have caught Brenda and partner Adrian Wicken by surprise as their aim is to find a buyer who will keep it going.

Mr Wicken said: "We have never met this chap although I believe he came in some time ago with the agent when we were not there to have a look around.

"But no one has talked to us about it and Brenda is very keen to find a buyer to keep it going as a business.

"We will both be 70 next year and understandably Brenda is keen to retire. But the business is still very viable and we are sure it could flourish if someone new took it on with fresh energy and ideas."

Villagers are also unlikely to welcome the loss of the pub which they campaigned so hard to keep almost 15 years ago.

It was discussed by members of Womenswold Parish Council on Tuesday night who agreed to object to the planning application on the grounds that the Two Sawyers is a “valuable asset to the community” and the only pub for miles around.

The inn is on the market with a guide price of £350,000..