Ben Rhydding residents have vowed to do everything in their power to save the village's only pub - even if it means buying and running it themselves.

Around 40 campaigners met at St John's Church hall on Friday to agree on the best tactics to prevent the Wheatley Hotel from being sold to property developers.

The meeting was called in the same week that teams of building surveyors were spotted at the Wheatley Lane site - fuelling rumours that pub owner Punch Taverns has already signed a seven figure deal.

Local householder Sandy MacPherson, who is on the steering group running the campaign, Save Us Pub (SUP), said a number of "interesting" avenues were now being explored.

He said: "We had a positive meeting on Friday and agreed on setting up the steering group and a campaign website, www.saveuspub.org.uk, the shell of which is already up and running.

"There was also a suggestion that we start up a company ourselves and buy the pub. I think the economics are against that but it would be a challenge, and half a dozen people said there and then they would be willing to put in £10,000 of their own money.

"One thing we have no doubt about, though, is that a planning application to develop the site will be made at Keighley very soon.

"I went to talk to one of these surveyor guys and ask what they were doing, and was told 'we're going to pull the pub down and build

flats there'. But when I asked for more details

he became cagey and wouldn't say anything else.

"I think when the plans go in more people will start to realise that the situation is serious, and join us. So we are starting to work on what our objections will be, and there are lots of planning reasons we can object on - over development, loss of amenity, the effect on traffic and so on.

"We also want to make the case that the pub is viable, and will be using existing Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) guidelines, which looks at things like the local population, distance to the next pub, and so on, to prove that."

SUP insists that the Wheatley was more than a good pub, but also a vital focal point for the village, and is seeking to have the building listed as one way of safeguarding its future.

Campaigners are also hopeful that it will be safe from demolition once Ben Rhydding's new status as a conservation area is confirmed in May.

A petition calling on Punch to keep the Wheatley as a pub, meanwhile, has attracted more than 170 signatures and will be handed over to the company by Ilkley MP Ann Cryer.

But despite all the activity at the pub over recent weeks Punch is sticking to its official line, which is that no deal has been reached and that it is open to suggestions about the site's future.

Wheatley Lane resident Tony Rising was also at the meeting. He said: "We reckon a plan to build flats there can be stopped by strong local opposition.

"I would say there were broadly two sets of people at the meeting - those who want their drinking establishment open again and those who don't want a new block of 40 flats.

"But we all agreed that we must be ready to object as soon as a planning application goes in and be prepared to fight it straight away.

"We also agreed to write to the local council and to Punch Taverns, stating our concerns, and to drum up support to get a head of steam up before an application is submitted.

"The Wheatley was my local and the people I met and talked to there I just don't see anymore. It is a very nice local pub which the community needs."

Bradford Environment chief and Ilkley parish and district Councillor Anne Hawkesworth also attended the event to show her support.

She said: "I was there to hear what was said and to put forward the argument that insisting there should be no change of use was the important thing to focus on.

"I thought it was very interesting that the people there were very much wanting to keep the pub, rather than trying to just stop any development on the site."

SUP intends to call another open meeting once the expected plans are made public.