PETERSFIELD town councillors have agreed to give their backing to residents in their clash with a local butchers.

John Crowhurst said that two residents living next to W Morgan & Sons were "voices in the wilderness" and needed support.

He told members of the planning committee on Tuesday that there had been "continual upgrading" at the shop.

Councillors heard that noise from extractor fans had made life difficult for residents.

Katie Pitt said: "I have been round there many times and I think it is quite horrendous."

Mr Crowhurst asked the council to help bring to an end a number of outstanding planning issues.

He said: "It is not for us to say this should be refused, but I think the residents have every right to have the application decided one way or another.

"The big problem here is that the two objectors are almost a voice in the wilderness and they need support.

"This has been going on for one year and it may even stretch to 18 months. Maybe we could send a small note to EHDC planning department to say we would like this decided as soon as possible."

He added: "The district council on Friday, under pressure from the objectors, requested that an audio survey be carried out by consultants to check the level of noise coming from the site. It will be given to the district council on May 31."

Committee chairman George Watkinson and town clerk Barbara Macken agreed to write a letter to the district council asking for a date when the applications will be resolved.

And Chris Jenner added: "l think we need the district council to act sensibly and bring this to a conclusion.

"Butchers are constantly subject to new European regulations and are not always given time to comply with them. We need to find some common ground here. I don't want to lose Petersfield's only butchers."