RESIDENTS of a village are using humour to protest against a planned supermarket.

Posters have been placed around public artworks in Condorrat, near Cumbernauld, by residents opposed to a proposed Tesco Express store.

The village is decorated with a host of public artworks, which helped it win a silver medal in the 2013 Beautiful Scotland awards.

And as locals ramp up the pressure on the supermarket bosses, Bobby The Bulldozer has been adorned with a poster saying, "Tesco don't bulldoze our town," while a train sculpture boasts a sign reading "chuff off Tesco".

A horse and kart has been upgraded with a poster reading, "Neigh Tesco here."

A public meeting was held at the village's Pollock Hall on Thursday night, and residents packed the venue to tell a Tesco representative they did not want the company's store.

The supermarket chain hopes to open on the ground floor of Condorrat Social Club in Main Road.

Club members voted in favour of allowing the development at a recent meeting, but Condorrat Community Council and Condorrat Tenants and Residents' Association have collected 1850 letters of objection.

Stacey Egan, chairwoman of the community council, said: "The signs have been put up to draw more attention to the issue.

"The art projects are well known and very visible, so the posters will be seen by a lot of people.

"Tesco has not yet applied for planning permission but we understand its officials have been in touch with North Lanarkshire Council.

"The community's main objection to a Tesco opening here is that there is a real worry it would negatively impact on our local shops and traders.

"We have no empty shop units here, which is very unusual for a village these days."

The objectors say Condorrat is already served by two Tescos in nearby Craigmarloch and Cumbernauld town centre, where there is also an Asda store. The village has a Spar and another grocery store.

A Tesco spokesman said: "This proposal is at an early stage, but we happily agreed to attend Thursday's meeting to hear the views of local people and to answer their questions.

"We will take the different views into consideration and keep people up to date as things progress."

stef.lach@ eveningtimes.co.uk