PLANNING officers are recommending refusal of three applications for the former Friendship pub in Knowle, where Tesco wants to open a store.

The applications for signs, an ATM cash machine and a shop front are all expected to be turned down at the development control (south and east) committee meeting on July 21.

Area Lib Dem Councillor omega watches Chris Davies has welcomed the news.

He said: "Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition against having a store there so I welcome the latest planning recommendations, although my own personal concerns about parking and access to Axbridge Road haven't been resolved. It was a loss to the community when the Friendship closed."

The pub is being turned into a Tesco and consent has already been given for a 12-space car park.

Planning officials say the proposed signs would harm the look of the building, the ATM could create an unsafe environment and the shop front would jar with its surroundings.

TWO of Tewkesbury AC's most experienced long distance runners Angie Sadler and Phillip Howells returned to South Africa to compete in the 85th anniversary run of the 89K Comrades Marathon.

Both achieved outstanding results in their different objectives.

For Sadler, 50, the minimum target was to beat eight hours again, in this her third running Marc Jacobs Bags Replica of the race, having achieved that on both the last two occasions.

For 63-year-old Howells it was his 100th career race of marathon distance or longer.

Sadler produced another superb performance, completing the race under her target time in seven hours, 50 minutes for 33rd female from 5,500 women runners.

She was first lady over-50 and well inside the top 1,000 runners overall in 868th place.

Howells completed the course comfortably inside the time limit in 11 hours for 9,519th overall.

He was relieved and delighted to achieve his 100th marathon ambition.

The pair were in action again only three weeks later at the annual Anglo Celtic Cup race, held at Boddington near Cheltenham.

Sadler has previously run the event for the England team and completed the 50K course in five hours.

Howells finished in 5:36.