PEOPLE power has prompted council bosses to offer a lifeline to a town centre deli they threatened to close down.

Planning officials have written to Ian Finch, the owner of Puccino's, King William Street, Blackburn, suggesting he re-submits his planning application for the site.

In less than one month, 1,700 have been into his shop and signed petitions, while letters of support for Mr Finch have also been sent to Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Last month, councillors threw out his request to operate in a former menswear store next to Marks & Spencer where he had opened without permission.

The council's new Local Plan states all new developments on King William Street must be retail only --and not food outlets.

Mr Finch said he opened up his business before seeking planning permission because the head office of Puccino's had told him the vast majority of councils would have allowed him to continue.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning chairman Coun Frank Connor said nobody should be allowed to ride roughshod over planning rules and officers were told to take legal enforcement action to close the shop. Mr Finch immediately threatened to appeal to planning inspectors at the Government and began a petition to show his venue was attracting people to the town.

Today, Coun Connor, moved to resolve the stand-off.

He said: "We are now moving to try and resolve the situation. In the light of the public support he so obviously has, we would like to take another look at the application.

"As a committee, we cannot tolerate people just opening up and breaking our planning laws but, at the same time, we have to take into account the opinions of the public.

"I think the volume of support he has now does make things different. I have written to explain to people why we did what we did, because we felt it was in the best interests of the town." Diners in the cafe were thrilled to hear that the cafe had a chance to stay open.

"It is fantastic news as it is the only place in town to have a civilised meal," said Russell Morris, of Revidge Road, Blackburn.

Gillian Chapman, of Thorncliffe Drive, Darwen, said: "It should never have got to this stage."

Mr Finch -- who lives in Barrowford and invested his redundancy money from Rolls-Royce into the franchise, along with his life savings -- said today: "I have spoken with my solicitors and they are going to meet the council to see how we should word the new planning application.

"I am hopeful that the widespread public support will mean the plan gets the go-ahead."

Ronnie O'Keeffe, president of Blackburn's Chamber of Trade, said today: "This seems the sensible option by the council.

"While I know people should adhere to planning rules, Puccino's is the sort of business they want to attract to the town, it is just in the wrong location."