A PUB landlord could be put out of business over a ruling that will force him to pull down a crowd-pulling adventure playground.

Roy Heaney, licensee of the Red Lion, in Longton, took over the pub a year ago and built a £15,000 kiddies' playground to attract families.

But a mix-up with the brewery meant the towering toy was put up without planning permission.

Despite a retrospective planning application -- put in to South Ribble Borough Council after the playground was up and running -- Mr Heaney has been told by council chiefs that the playground will have to come down due to numerous complaints by his neighbours.

Mr Heaney said: "I'm devastated. It means that my business will probably go to the wall, and 14 people could be out of a job."

Mr Heaney moved into the pub in Liverpool Road with his family, including wife Debbie and their children Natasha, Gabrielle and Alexander, and immediately started refurbishing it. He says when the playground was built, complete with slides, tunnels, bridges and towers, he saw his profits double.

Now he is worried that if the 15ft playground goes, so will many of his customers, leaving him without a viable business.

He said: "The business was very run down when we took it up, 13 months ago.

"So part of our business plan was that this playground was to be built. There is nothing to do in the area and this was going to bring families in. It was going to give the business a big push forward.

"Families are so important. This is something new for families to do together."

After complaints were received from neighbours, South Ribble planners rejected the application, and are in talks with the brewery, Scottish and Newcastle, to decide what steps to take. But Mr Heaney says he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his playground. He now has six months to appeal to the Government's Planning Inspectorate.

He said: "I am prepared to do anything in my power to come to an arrangement to keep this here."

Alan Green, enforcement officer for South Ribble Borough Council, said: "Following the refusal we will now take enforcement action, to ensure removal of it. If we serve an enforcement notice, they have a right of appeal.

"At present I am writing to the landlord to ask if he intends to take it down. If not, we will take enforcement action. It all depends on what they intend to do. I've got to give them the opportunity to tell me what they are going to do now."

Claire Jobe, spokesman for Scottish and Newcastle said: "Unfortunately, due to an oversight we did not obtain planning permission for the new play area.

"However, we are currently exploring a number of options so that people will be able to continue to enjoy the new facilities and to ensure that local residents are happy as well."