REGULARS battling to save a popular pub in Bursledon Road, Southampton from demolition have been warned it faces demolition in June if a buyer cannot be found.

For two years, drinkers have been fighting to save the Elephant and Castle.

Developers want the land for 54 homes but that sparked residents to mount a campaign.

Fresh proposals for the pub are due to be looked at by city planning chiefs next Tuesday which could see it gain a reprieve - if members of the city council's planning and rights of way panel give a revised scheme the green light.

Owners of the pub, Chandler's Ford-based architects Highwood Construction say that the pub could still be knocked down in the summer if a buyer can't be found.

Highwood Construction director Nigel Meek told the Daily Echo: "We have to rely on a brewery to take it on and a serious party to manage it."

David Wilson Homes had originally planned to knock down the Victorian structure and build blocks of flats on the site.

But the plans were thrown out by planning bosses following a long drawn out campaign by residents culminating in a two-day planning enquiry in September last year.

Now, fresh plans to redevelop the site by Chandler's Ford based architects Highwood Construction have been unveiled.

They would see the pub saved and refurbished - and a smaller number of houses built on the site.

An alternative proposal to knock down the pub and build homes on the site will also be presented to city planners at the meeting.

Mr Meek said that the alternative proposal would have to come into play if a buyer for the pub cannot be found in the next four months.

He appealed for companies to come forward to save the pub.

He said: "I hope we can find a buyer but time is running out."

Campaigner Ernie Rhodes, 73, said that Highwood Construction should put in a landlord to try and run the pub themselves.

He said: "They were silly enough to buy it without looking into it properly. They should keep the pub open any way they can."