PENSIONERS say the noise and smell from a restaurant are breaching their human rights.

Michael Hawtrey and Geoffrey Bennett, who live behind Baroushka, told Salisbury city councillors new extractor fans at the Fisherton Street restaurant were so loud they could barely hear the television.

Major Hawtrey, who only recently moved to Steynings House, told a planning meeting the noise was causing him and his wife great anxiety and depression.

He also complained about the smell from the restaurant’s bins and appealed to the city council for help.

He said: “The amount of rubbish outside is hard to bear.

"The smell is revolting and reaches our flat.”

His neighbour Mr Bennett said: “The smell is disgusting, and our hearing is being spoiled by the noise of the extractor.

"I cannot believe what is happening.”

Major Hawtrey also claimed he had seen “countless rats scavenging through the bins” from his flat which overlooks the yard.

The concerns came to light as members of Salisbury City Council’s planning and transport committee discussed a retrospective planning application to extend an outbuilding and upgrade the extractor fans.

Committee chairman Colin Froude urged the pensioners to contact Wiltshire Council.

Cllr Michael Pope, who has visited the site, said it was “completely unacceptable”.

“If we allow this change to happen, then I fear it will open a can of worms and allow other plans like this to go ahead, and ruin the look of our beautiful city. We should object on the grounds of it being an inappropriate development.”

Councillors agreed and strongly objected to the application, but Wiltshire Council has the final say.

The Restaurant’s owner Solman Farsi said he had listened to previous concerns by the neighbours, and had spent £42,000 on a new extractor, as the previous system was not adequate.

“I am doing things to please them and they are still complaining, and I am going to go bankrupt with all of their requirements.

“There is rubbish around the back, but we have collections three to four times a week.

“I am so frustrated and I find it despicable that they are trying to put me out of business.”

To view the application, visit wiltshire.gov.uk/planninganddevelopment ref 16/09793/FUL