AN elderly couple who need to sell their home and business because of ill health have hit out at a council's new housing freeze.

Lorna and Russel King looked set to sell KBS Catering and their flat in Park Road, Great Harwood, to a builder until they received a letter telling them their application would be recommended for refusal.

This will be the second time Hyndburn Council have blocked them if its planning committee accept the recommendation.

"I'd only just come out of hospital after catching pneumonia, I got the shock of my life when I saw it," said Lorna, 64.

The Kings decided to sell up this year after Russel, 65, suffered a stroke in 2001 and was left unable to work or climb the stairs to the first floor flat.

After spending all their savings -- and with the couple's mobility worsening -- they looked to have found a buyer who wanted to create a family-run Chinese takeaway. But Hyndburn's planning committee rejected this application in July after neighbours objected because of a feared increase in traffic congestion.

The following week, the couple were made an offer by Whalley builder, Carl Bowker, who wanted to turn it into two houses. But although the council said it might consider one house, he said he would not be able to continue because it would not make good business sense.

There are currently active permissions for 640 houses to be built in Hyndburn and the council has been advised through the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan (JLSP) to reduce its annual build from 200 to 110.

Lorna said: "This is the second time. It's beyond a joke, I'd like to know what we've done to offend them.

Mr Bowker said: "If it doesn't go through I won't be able to continue with the sale. I'm also angry the council didn't tell me about the problem so I didn't spend all the money lodging the application."

Brendan Lyons, chief planning and transportation officer for the council, said: "Each application will be assessed on its own merits."