BURGER giant McDonald's has ditched its towering Golden M in a bid to get permission for its first restaurant in the Ribble Valley.

And diners wanting to sample Big Mac and fries in the new restaurant will get to do so in unique surroundings.

The plans, which planning councillors have been recommended to approve, were re-submitted after they ordered the fast food giant back to the drawing board -- and told it to ditch the towering sign.

Now, architects at the multi-national food firm have redesigned the restaurant so it is clad in stone and the roof is made of blue slate -- unlike the majority of its drive-thru restaurants.

And the towering Golden Arches sign -- a symbol of McDonald's restaurants the world over -- is absent, after councillors refused separate planning permission for one stuck on top of an eight-metre pole.

McDonald's previously confirmed that very few of its restaurants were built without the giant M and there is only believed to be one other in the North West -- in Preston.

Final permission for the scheme will be granted under delegated powers by chief executive David Morris, once details of the scheme have been finalised.

They have also reduced the number of illuminated signs on the roof of the single-storey restaurant.

Plans for the restaurant were deferred at a meeting last month after councillors expressed concerns about the visual impact on the area and the volume of traffic which would pass near to the site, on the A59 at Barrow.

Other concerns -- such as the fact McDonald's was not the sort of food chain they had in mind when they drew up a scheme for the old printworks site and the fact it would create litter -- were raised, but are not reasons for rejecting planning applications.

But a traffic study revealed that the new development would create an increase in traffic which is 'not significant' and 'falls within national guidelines.'

A spokesman said: "It is considered that the addition of the McDonald's development traffic will not result in any capacity or queuing problems at the existing roundabout or the A59.

"It is important the project is in keeping with the surrounding countryside."

Nobody was available to comment from McDonald's today but a spokesman said when the original plan was submitted: "This is an important site to us.

"There are very few McDonald's drive-thrus in the world which don't have the large Golden Arches on a pole outside but in some cases we don't have any choice.

"We will work with the council to find a solution."