A BID to open a nightclub in Middlesbrough has been thrown out following concerns it would add to drunken, rowdy behaviour and fighting in the town centre.

Residents and police raised strong objections to the plans to convert a former church into a nightclub.

Club-owner Barry Faulkner was hoping to transform the church, in Corporation Road, into a two-storey venue, which would stay open until 4am.

The entrepreneur was wanting to fill the void left by the closure of Jumpin' Jacks nightclub, which is across the road from his proposed venue.

But Middlesbrough Council's licensing committee rejected the application for a drinks licence after it was shown a video of violent disturbances in the town centre.

Residents said their lives had been blighted by drunken behaviour.

Maureen Morgan, who lives yards away from the site, said residents have had to put up with all kinds of behaviour from drunken yobs, but said the situation had drastically improved since the closure of Jumpin' Jacks.

She said: "Things are getting better since it closed down.

"If you allow this licensing application, things will go back to how they were. We are just starting to get back our quality of life and this would just take us back to square one."

PC John Graham, of Cleveland Police's licensing unit, told the committee that Middlesbrough town centre had reached saturation level with 55 pubs or nightclubs and 25 licensed takeaways.

A police video highlighted the extent of the problems officers regularly face as a result of drink-fuelled violence - the images drew gasps from the members of the public who attended the meeting.

After the decision, Mr Faulkner said he would wait to see what happened with the Jumpin' Jacks site before considering appealing against the decision.