PUB-goers who would be "devastated" by the loss of their local drinking hole are battling to save it from housing developers.

Villagers banded together in their hundreds in Sutton Courtenay after plans were unveiled to turn "lovely little old-fashioned pub" The Plough into two houses.

Lesley Tyler, who leads the ladies' darts team at the pub, has set up campaign group Friends of The Plough to protest against its potential closure.

The 51-year-old, who lives nearby in Bradstocks Way, said: "It would be a great shame, it would be very sad.

"If we lose the pub we lose its darts teams, Aunt Sally team, a pool team – none of the other pubs in the village are willing to accommodate any of that, they are gastropubs.

"There are so many memories there, it's where all the community comes together and everybody is welcome. Too many pubs are closing and never seem to be opening."

A petition set up on change.org to save the pub has already gained about 300 signatures, since owners Hawthorn Leisure submitted a change of use application to Vale of White Horse District Council this month after the landlord announced plans to retire.

Mrs Tyler has applied to the council to label her local a 'community asset', which would mean residents have a better chance of bidding to buy it themselves.

Her neighbour Margaret Hamilton, who lives with her husband in Bradstocks Way, is deputy president of the WI group that regularly meets in The Plough in High Street.

The 71-year-old, who has lived in the village with her husband for half a century, said: "The landlord has been very good to us and doesn't charge us to hold fundraising events. If it closes, there is nowhere for us to go.

"It would be a devastating loss. It's where the majority of youth go when they turn 18, and there is a group of elderly gentlemen who get the bus there every Saturday. It's quite a hive of activity."

Referring to a cluster of houses that have cropped up in the village in recent years, plus the 360-home estate planned there off Harwell Road, she added: "For the sake of two more houses, why do we have to lose our hub?

"It's a traditional games pub with proper beer, everybody is always welcome in there. It's a lovely little old-fashioned pub with a garden at the back where children play. It's the only pub in the village that doesn't serve food. We have discos here, karaoke and quizzes, all raising money for charity."

A statement on behalf of Hawthorn Leisure, which owns the pub, said: "After great consideration, we have determined that The Plough is no longer viable as a pub.

"The business has a low weekly turnover which is not sustainable against the running costs, despite the best efforts of the landlord of three years.

"We bought the pub as part of a large acquisition in 2014, and since then have evaluated all options to turn the pub into a profitable business, but have concluded that none are commercially viable and are now looking at options that make best use of the land and avoid a boarded up property.

"There are three pubs within a mile radius that will continue to service Sutton Courtenay."

Consultation on the plans for four-bedroom and two-bedroom houses with parking is due to end on July 13.