Members of the public filled the benches of Swindon Borough Council’s chamber, hoping that planners would vote against a plan for a carwash in a pub car park.

Arkell’s brewery, which owns the Boundary House, in The Street in Moredon, had asked for permission to put a container with a canopy in the corner of the pub’s car park so it could be used as a car wash.

Planning officers had recommended the councillors approve the scheme but added conditions.

Nearby resident Michell McMillan spoke against the proposal and said: “We moved into one of the cottages next to the Boundary House 20 years ago.

"Now the traffic is so bad when you go out of your door, you're literally chewing the pollution.

"This will make the congestion and the traffic and the pollution worse.”

Mrs McMillan said that customers of the pub liked to eat and drink in the pub's garden and would be disturbed by water spray, the noise of the carwashing and possibly chemicals.

She added: “They will be using industrial chemicals.

"They may be diluted but they will be chemicals.”

Another neighbour, who had not told the clerk he wanted to speak, was asked to sit after he told the committee: “I only hope something comes up like this where you live, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.”

After the members of the committee voted to refuse permission they were applauded by residents.