A PIZZA firm has been told it can make deliveries in Westhoughton -- but only if the staff ride scooters.

Bolton planning chiefs said the Domino Pizza Group could open a new shop in Pavilion Square as long as workers do not deliver margaritas in motorcars.

They do not want vans pulling up at the door after residents in neighbouring streets wrote letters objecting to the extra traffic.

But Westhoughton Town Council leader David Wilkinson described the idea as "farcical" and said it would be impossible to enforce.

And he said the take-away should not have been given the go-ahead because the town is already full of food shops.

"The idea of telling delivery men to use scooters is a farce," he said. Westhoughton does not need another take-away.

"There are already a huge number of Italian, Indian, Chinese and Mexican food outlets in the area and residents do not want another.

"We should be trying to encourage retail units to open instead of over-burdening our town-centres with more take-aways."

A property consultant representing the Domino Pizza Group said the shop would help create a modern, balanced and varied shopping area.

But residents said it would be a magnate for youths and said their homes would smell of pizza. They also said it would generate extra traffic.

The planning committee agreed that deliveries could be made to the shop by van, but deliveries to customers would have to be made by scooter.

Cllr Nick Peel told the meeting: "I see nothing wrong with this application. A representative for the company has said that previous applications have been agreed on condition that deliveries are made by scooter. This is something we should consider."

A spokesman for the Domino Pizza Group said it was not unusual for deliveries to be made by scooter. "A lot of councils set this condition," she said. "It's quite common."