MYSTERY surrounds the closure of a country pub on a busy main road close to Malvern.

The Red Lion at Stiffords Bridge, near Cradley, shut its doors on Sunday of last week.

Mark Haslam of Herefordshire CAMRA said: "Besides being the last and only pub in the parish of Cradley, the Red Lion has been a successful pub over many years - being especially popular with people coming out from Malvern.

"It concerns us greatly that it has closed so abruptly and unexpectedly, with no explanation offered to pub-users other than a small sign in a window stating it is 'permanently closed'.

"This suggests the owner may have other designs on the pub. CAMRA is happy to go on record at this point and state we will vigorously resist any plans to convert the pub into housing, and I don't think we'll be alone in objecting to any such proposals should they come forward."

He said the the 'permanently closed' sign had subsequently been removed from the window.

The Gazette could not contact the pub for a comment.