A landlord has won his battle to keep a bull mural on the side of his 400-year-old pub - as long as he makes the boozer look like a farm.

Martin Peel was stunned when he was ordered to remove the 8ft-high painting from the wall of The Bull's Head in the village of Wootton Wawen.

He had commissioned local artist Phil Taylor to create the artwork which cost £1,200 last April.

Weeks after it was unveiled, Martin received a letter from Stratford District Council saying that because the building was listed, the mural breached planning rules.

He was given four weeks to paint over the Hereford bull – nicknamed Eddie - or face legal action.

The bull was painted by local artists Phil Taylor (image via SWNS)

Martin, 52, says he refused to be "bullied" by officials and lodged a retrospective planning application to keep his beloved bull.

Now councillors have performed a u-turn and granted permission, on the condition that it is reviewed in five years' time in 2030 and the pub is made to look more "farm like".

The dad-of-two, who has run the 16th century pub with his partner Omm for four years, said: "We're delighted that common sense has prevailed.

"When we were initially give four weeks to remove it we were all shocked.

"Everyone I spoke to really liked the design and it made the pub stand out.

"We got a lot of support from the locals in the pub who said it was ridiculous. 

Planners have said the bull must be properly maintained (image via SWNS)

"We were determined to fight for Eddie so hired a consultant who said we could do apply for retrospective planning permission. 

"We put a petition up and got a lot of support. 

"We went for it and finally got it under a few conditions. 

"There's a vent on the pub which we're going to take down and we're going to landscape the front of the pub garden but we can keep Eddie bull. 

"The artist is extremely pleased about it. He'll be back in April to keep it maintained which is part of the condition. 

"We're extremely pleased with the council and the decision."

Council planners also insisted the mural is properly maintained to prevent it flaking off in bad weather and said the pub grounds needed renovating.

Over 1,000 locals signed a petition to save the bull (image via SWNS)

Martin, an ex-aircraft engineer, added: "The council know it's a brewery owned pub and it's a 17th century inn, so they're just making sure it's looked after. It's so we honour it. 

"The front was tarmaced once upon a time, we'll just lawn it up to the building and give it a wooden fence so it looks farm-like.

"We'd already planned to keep the bull maintained, we're getting the artist in again shortly.

"It gives us a presence, we had people commenting before they thought it was a house on the bend, so it helps our business."

Locals also expressed their delight that 'Eddie' was staying put.

One said: "It's great news. Martin and Omm have really turned the pub around. Eddie made the pub stand out and became very popular.

"It's a clever design, Martin even had a local artist do it and it honours the history of the landscape around here."