Campaigners are objecting to plans to turn a pub into a home - but its owner says they have got their facts wrong.

The Jolly Brewers, beside the A134 at Shouldham Thorpe, near Downham Market, was put up for sale after it closed two years ago, with a buyer completing this summer.

West Norfolk Council had received a prior notification of plans to turn it into a home - a planning procedure where a developer finds out whether formal permission is required.

The Campaign Group for Pubs, which objected to the application, described the Jolly Brewers as "a community asset".

"The pub is adjacent to the busy A134 road which is heavily used by holiday traffic during the season," it said.

"Any public house in this type of location should be able to convert travellers trade into a profitable business to augment the support it offers to the local community."

But the applicant, Scott Smith, said the objection was not accurate.

"The Jolly Brewers historically has always been a destination pub and not a local pub within walking distance of a village," he said.

An email from the pub's former owners Admiral Taverns described it as a "large failed rural food site", which had "numerous" operators prior to closure.

It added it was a "low volume business", which in 2020 - its busiest year - sold 37 barrels of beer.

It said it had been "almost impossible to attract a serious funded food operator".

Kathryn Riley, who posted a comment in support of the application, said: "This pub has been a failure for many years. It would make a beautiful, attractive family home."

The council, whose website now lists the application as withdrawn, said a full planning application was required before it could consider the change.

A spokesman said: "We are waiting for the applicant to resubmit a full application to start the process."