Pic of the couple being taken Saturday (2nd) at 10am.

A COUPLE faced with legal action after converting a former Herefordshire pub into their home say they just want the uncertainty to end.

Charles and Susie Willmott, both 73, have had the action served on them by Herefordshire Council after failing to get planning approval to convert the Newtown Inn, on the main A4103 Hereford to Worcester road at Lower Eggleton, into a residential home where they have lived for almost four years.

But the couple say the property is their home, adding the local authority was aware of their plans right from the beginning.

"We've paid council tax all along, not business tax," said Mr Willmott.

"The first thing we did was contact the council. They said we could do anything with the footprint of the building."

The couple say they have come up with compromises including offering to rent out their car park to the parish, adding they are not going to give the property up without a fight.

"We own this place lock, stock and barrel," he said.

"We are not going to give it away.

"We've tried so hard to come up with all sorts of compromises."

The couple say they are grateful for the support they have received from their immediate neighbours although the stress brought about by the uncertainty has had an adverse impact on their health.

Mr Willmott says the building had been offered for sale as an 'in receivership' property for several years with no trading figures or 'stock in trade' offered.

He says he has records showing the couple were in talks with the council prior to buying and during the change of use works, adding a council officer gave them the green light to action any work within the footprint of the building before they were later told their change of use application had been refused.

As reported by the Hereford Times in February, legal notice had been served on the Willmott's just days after a petition was handed in to Herefordshire Council demanding the pub be reopened.

The council said the notice had been served for failure to comply with planning enforcement notices dating back to May 2014.

When open for business, the pub was run by a pub company, but that firm went into administration.

Planning Inspector, Veronica Bond, dismissed an appeal saying there were "indications that the property was profitable in the recent past", a point Mr and Mrs Willmott dispute.

Herefordshire Council said it couldn't comment on the couple's side of things as the matter is the subject of an ongoing legal case.