CAMPAIGNERS fighting to secure the future of a landmark pub are ready to demand an official investigation into the handling of the case.

Residents living near the White Horse pub, in North Road, Darlington, are opposed to its demolition to make way for 55 apartments.

The decision will be made by a Darlington Borough Council planning committee on Wednesday - but a campaign group has vowed to lodge an official complaint with the council Ombudsman over how the matter has been dealt with.

People who attended a Save the White Horse group meeting on Friday night criticised a recent planning officer's report, which recommended the plans be approved.

The group is spending £1,300 on a planning consultant to help it to compile a case to save the pub, and has said the planning report is unclear. The group will attend the planning committee meeting to make its case.

Pub neighbour Gill Cartwright said: "We are all disappointed at the report, and at the general handling of our complaints. If planning permission is granted, we will look into making a complaint of maladministration to the Ombudsman.

"They have put all of our complaints into bullet points in the report, taking them out of context. It's not fair just saying 'loss of privacy' - what does that mean?

"It also says it wouldn't be damaging for the pub to be lost as a local amenity - that is opinion rather than fact, I don't think that is fair.

"It seems that what the case officer has summarised does not mean anything to anybody. Even our letter of objection was 20 pages long, which is longer than this report.

"This is a very high-profile case, so they will have to make 120 per cent sure they have ticked all the boxes when they make the decision, because we, and our planning consultant, will make sure they have."

A council spokeswoman said: "The report, which will be considered by the planning committee, can only take into account planning issues, and has been drawn up according to planning guidelines.

"The recommendations will be considered on Wednesday and discussion will take place. A decision will then be made by the planning committee."

For more information on the campaign, log on to www.savethewhitehorse.org