A seaside town pub once threatened with closure now has a new team taking over its running after the previous landlady left.

Cait Handy has told this newspaper that she will part of a team taking over the reins at the White Horse pub in Church Road, Felixstowe, with the first day in charge expected to be Tuesday.

The pub had been the subject of a campaign by the Save the White Horse action group to stop it being turned into homes.

In 2021, Punch Pubs submitted plans to tear down the building and replace it with a convenience store with four flats above and two three-bed bungalows in the pub's car park.

However, these plans were rejected by East Suffolk Council planners in June 2022 after a report they received said the proposal would result in the loss of a "valued community facility".

The pub is set to undergo a deep clean before the new tenants take over.

The previous landlady - named Carol - had taken over following the departure of previous publicans David and Amanda Fisher.

Last week, a spokesperson for Punch Pubs, which owns the White Horse, said: "We can confirm that we are recruiting new publicans to oversee the long-term success of the White Horse pub in Felixstowe.

"We encourage anybody interested in this opportunity to contact our recruitment team on 01283 501999."

In March, the pub company pledged to ensure that the "fantastic pub continued to serve the town of Felixstowe and the wider community for many years to come".