A shell-shocked couple have been told to take down hayracks of flowers from the wall of their converted barn.

Houseproud John and Maggie Briggs filled the wrought-iron hayracks with trailing geraniums, busy lizzies, wild cornflowers, lobelia and pansies.

They believed the displays outside their 300-year-old home, The Hayloft at Walden Stubbs, near Whitley, were completely in tune with the rural setting.

But they have now been told the flower displays are too much like the "domestic trappings of a suburban housing estate".

The hayracks cannot even be seen from outside the site, but planning officers reckon they could damage the character of the building and compromise the openness of the site.

It's not only flower power that is under fire. A report to the Selby Council's planning committee says the clutter of patio furniture and children's toys should also be avoided to create "discreet" private space for the occupants.

Council conservation officers said a retrospective planning application for the hayracks should be refused and enforcement action taken to remove them.

Semi-retired teacher Mr Briggs, 55, is astonished and dismayed by the reaction his blooms have provoked.

He said: "We thought hayracks were more in keeping than hanging baskets - we can't believe all the fuss and palaver.

"A colourful flower display reduces the building's austerity. We have to live here, which these bureaucrats don't seem to understand."

His wife Maggie said: "We came here for peace and quiet and all we've had from the council is hassle - you couldn't make it up."

The couple have won the support of independent councillor Maurice Patrick, who condemned the planners' stance as "bureaucracy gone mad".

Coun Patrick said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw we were turning down flower displays.

"If you can't hang hayracks at a house called The Hayloft, where can you hang them?"

Coun Patrick has now persuaded the council to arrange a site visit - comprising seven councillors and two officers - to have another look at the site.

* A recent application for a dog kennel at a neighbouring converted barn was turned down by the council.

Updated: 08:16 Tuesday, August 14, 2001