A GROUP of Angiddy Valley residents has fired opening salvos in a battle to save their pub from being converted into two private houses.

The Cherry Tree pub at the bottom of the Tintern end of the valley has not opened since just before Christmas last year. Now an application for converting the building to one two-bedroom and one three-bedroom houses has been lodged with Monmouthshire planners.

"The planning hearing comes up in a round three weeks. We want everyone to register letters of protest with Monmouthshire Council," said Paul Christie, speaking for the "Friends of the Cherry" group.

"We also have a petition going round the village, but while we have around 200 signatures it is most important the council planners receive as many objections as possible."

The protesters have launched a website they call "the virtual HQ of the Save the Cherry Campaign" – http://www.cherrytreefriends.org.uk">www.cherrytreefriends.org.uk

In it they say: "The pub has played a very special and important part in our lives for many years. We've celebrated weddings, births, birthdays and Grand Slams there. Without it our community is greatly diminished.

"We will not stand idly by while our historic pub is wrenched from us."

The Cherry Tree had been collecting CAMRA awards for 37 years. The protesters say they believe it has a future as a focal point for the community and conversion to homes would be "horrifying".

The Friends' website provides links to the county planning section for email objections.

The Friends say it is not clear if the pub is for sale or not. "We would like it to be reopened as the friendly community free house that has served the Angiddy valley so faithfully for centuries," they add.