CAMPAIGNERS celebrating victory in the first parish referendum to be held in Darlington yesterday called on council chiefs to change their stance over the closure of a renowned pub.

Nearly 400 people turned out this week to vote in favour of sparing the White Horse Pub and Hotel, in North Road, from demolition.

Darlington Borough Council's planning committee granted Premier Homes permission for the scheme last year - to the fury of residents who felt their views had been overlooked.

The Save the White Horse campaign group was formed and successfully forced the referendum, which was held on Thursday night.

A total of 403 people cast their votes, with 391 against the demolition of the pub and ten in favour. Two papers were rejected.

Last night, the group urged the town hall to take notice of the strength of feeling in the local community.

But council chiefs hit back by stressing to campaigners that they were pursuing the wrong course of action.

The authority insists that, as planning consent was given in accordance with national guidelines, the matter rests entirely with the developer.

A spokesman said: "The outcome of the poll still has no bearing on the council.

"The future of the White Horse is in the hands of the developer."

However, the protest group has pledged to fight on and will be holding talks over the weekend about how to take its case smaller.

Spokeswoman Gill Cartwright said she would be seeking details of the cost of the poll from the council.

The authority has said that it was about £1,000 and that will be borne by the parish council.

But Mrs Cartwright said: "We think it's actually closer to £400. If we're being accused of wasting £1,000 then we want to have the true figures in front of us."

The council's spokesman said:"You have the costs of hiring the pub as a polling station, printing costs, the staff involved. It is not £400, it is a lot more."

The hotel has also criticised the campaign group in a leaflet, in which it says that objectors should spend their money on a meal and a pint, instead of a Save the White Horse tee-shirt, if they wanted to rescue it.