RESIDENTS are celebrating after saving a pub from demolition.

Planning inspector Philip Major says replacing the 19th Century Ladle public house, in Middlesbrough, with a modern pub, a travel inn and a McDonalds would be "unacceptably harmful to the character and appearance" of its green and leafy surroundings, including nearby Stewart Park.

"This is brilliant, absolutely wonderful news," said Judith James, spokeswoman for a residents' action group, set up to fight the Whitbread proposal which was first rejected by Middlesbrough Borough Council.

The group collected nearly 4,500 signatures for a protest petition to be presented to a public inquiry, held to hear the brewer and catering company's appeal against the council's refusal.

Local people campaigned to save the pub, formerly known as Brackenhoe, the home of Carl Bolckow, a nephew of Henry Bolckow, who was Middlesbrough's first MP and mayor.

Mrs James said: "The little people have won, it's one for people power.

"We thought we ought to win. We believed in our cause, but you never can tell."

Middlesbrough council leader Councillor Ken Walker said: "This is excellent news and fully vindicates the council's stance on this matter.

"I am also very pleased for the residents who put a very well reasoned case to the appeal inquiry."

Mr Major felt that not only would the planned redevelopment be out of character with their wooded surroundings, but the three different style buildings proposed for the site would "jar with each other".

Whitbread has six weeks to decide whether to appeal to the High Court against the inspector's decision.