Residents will try to use the new Human Rights Act to block a controversial open air opera festival going ahead.

The legislation says people have the right to the peaceful enjoyment of their possessions.

And residents say that is precisely what they do not have during the annual Garsington Opera festival, held at the Great Barn, Garsington Manor, in June and July.

Licences have been issued for the Opera festival since 1990, and every one of them was opposed by the manor's neighbours.

They will voice their opposition when South Oxfordshire District Council Licensing Committee decides on Friday whether to grant Leonard Ingrams permission to stage this year's festival.

This year, the Opera wants to increase seating from 460 to 486.

But the parish council objects to the increased numbers, disturbance from noise and traffic and says there are potential car parking problems.

The police, fire service and the district council's environmental health department have raised no objections to the licence.

Monitoring by council officials last year found no breaches of noise limits.

The licence for the Great Barn encompasses concerts, recitals and the village barn dance.