WORRIED homeowners have presented a 300-signature petition to the district council objecting to plans to put a drive-through fast food restaurant yards from their houses.

Residents in Loudwater have reacted with fury at McDonald's proposal to put an outlet on the site of what used to be The White Blackbird Pub in London Road, Loudwater.

The residents handed their petition to Wycombe District Council on Wednesday.

Karen Gulpin, 49, from Old Forge Road, Loudwater, said: "I can't believe they are going to put that in a residential area. I think there would be a big problem with rubbish and rats."

Steven Bowen, of Old Forge Road, Loudwater, added: "I live next door and it's not a good idea at all. This is a village. Why would we want a McDonald's when there's already one in High Wycombe?"

Graham and Sandra Salter, of Birfield Road, Loudwater, are campaigning against the plan. Mr Salter said: "We've lived here for 35 years and it's just become a dumping ground."

They have already written to their MP Dominic Grieve (Con) and Wycombe district councillor for Loudwater Debbie Lewis to make their feelings known.

The couple pointed out that there is the Tesco caf, a Brewer's Fayre and an Indian restaurant nearby.

However, Eileen Jacklin, of Birfield Road, said there was no reason to oppose it.

She added: "It will be somewhere for young people to get jobs or somewhere to go. The noise would be no more than when there was a pub here."

Victoria Hague, a spokesman for McDonald's, said an independent noise assessment concluded that the restaurant would not lead to additional noise and traffic.

She added residents can have their say when McDonald's holds a residents' forum later this year.