RESIDENTS have won the first round of a battle with a Bolton pub after it was refused permission to erect a shelter over its outdoor seating area.

They sent 13 letters of objection to Bolton Council over the plans by The Flag Inn in Arnold Road, Bromley Cross.

They claim the area around the pub has attracted anti-social behaviour.

They are also fighting applications by Greene King Brewing to extend its outside drinking hours from 10pm until 11pm, and the pub's closing time until midnight.

Jacqui Wood, of Somersby Drive, urged the council's planning and highways committee to reject the shelter plan.

She said: "There's no more than a large pavement area outside the pub. You regularly get noise and abuse and glasses left lying around.

"Only a couple of weeks ago, there were people urinating in grids around there and I'm certain we'll get gangs of youths using the shelter."

Local councillor Norman Critchley agreed with council highway engineers who said it would be preferable to use the area outside the pub for car parking, as it had been in the past.

A planning report said parking space was minimal at present and there was congestion outside the pub.

Cllr Critchley said: "Outside drinking has caused problems and affected residents. Licensing permitted it until 10pm but it goes way beyond that.

"If the area was un-shuttered, anyone could go in there and use it for anti-social behaviour. If it was shuttered it would be a major eyesore."

Fellow councillor, Cllr David Greenhalgh, added: "Residents have to put up with enough problems with the rowdiness and nuisance, to the extent that they pray for a downpour of rain to take people inside."

No-one from Greene King Brewing was available for comment.