Councillors, and loyal shoppers, unanimously agreed to reject a proposal threatening the future of a beloved record shop.

Royal Mail, who own the premises and the delivery office next door to Langley Records, wanted to build a customer service point and toilets where the racks of records stand.

At a planning meeting of the north area sub-committee, all 10 councillors voted in favour of the officers' recommendation to refuse the application.

The shop in Walton Road, West Molesey, is owned by 79-year-old Geoff Langley, who has been there for 43 years.

Speaking as an objector against the proposal, Mr Langley said: "I will say, you can look any where in Surrey, you will not find a record shop anything like mine. It's far and away the best there is."

Chris Hicks, speaking on behalf of the applicant, made the argument the record shop is not a convenient and specifically local place for residents to "top up" on shopping such as groceries and therefore did not need to be protected.

Councillors disagreed, with a few declaring they have bought records from the shop. Councillor Ivan Regan and Councillor Nigel Cooper said they were both customers.

Coun Cooper said: "You seem very assured that many of the people who shop in the record store are not locals, but I on occasion shop there."

Councillor Christine Elmer said: "I lived in Molesey for a great many years and that shop is one of the most wonderful record shops in the world."

Just short of the 2,500 hoped for, 2,357 people from all over the world put their names on a petition to save the shop.

After a short discussion, councillors refused the application at the meeting on Monday, July 6.