RESIDENTS have objected to plans to increase a pub's entertainments hours.

Stockton Borough Council has received a planning application from The Merlin pub, Billingham, to increase its permitted hours of entertainment from 7.30pm to 11pm on a Wednesday and Saturday to 7pm to 11pm, Monday to Saturday.

A number of discussions have taken place with the applicant, Michael Gosney, who has said it is not the intention to have entertainment each day, but he would like the flexibility to have entertainment on at least one more day each week.

However, residents fear that if the licence is granted problems with people using their properties as short-cuts will get worse.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I object to the noise and people taking a short- cut and fouling my back alley. Not so long ago, I had to stay up all night because some drunken youths threw a beer bottle through my big front window."

If councillors approve the application next Tuesday they are being asked that the licence be subject to a condition restricting the number of public entertainment events to no more than three in any week.