ROYAL British Legion members have vowed to fight a court battle and overturn an order to keep the noise down at their Worcester premises.

Worcester City Council has served a noise abatement notice on the Claines branch, following complaints from residents in Cornmeadow Lane about loud music.

The Legion was fined £1,000 and told to pay £500 costs, last year, after neighbours said they had been plagued by noise.

An order requiring the club to tone down its Country & Western music had been issued two months earlier.

However, the council issued another notice this year after hearing the problem had continued during concerts on Saturday evenings.

The club has appealed against the notice and vowed to have its day in court.

"A two-day hearing has now been arranged at Evesham magistrates' court in July," said Anita Fletcher, a principal environmental health officer with the city council.

"The RBL will be calling eight people to give their side of the case, while we have three or four.

"We're quite surprised that they've decided to go ahead with the appeal, but it should be very interesting to hear what they have to say."

The case has been scheduled for Monday, July 9, and Tuesday, July 10.

Sarah Clarke, secretary of the Claines Royal British Legion club, was unavailable for comment.

But, last month, she said a new roof was being fitted at the club in an attempt to limit noise.

"We have single singers performing at the club between 8.30-9.30pm and 10.15-11.15pm," she added. "We've done all we can to limit noise."