The owners and staff of a condemned pub say they are disappointed with the lack of support from local politicians.

Pump and Tap owners Andy and John Husain have asked their ward councillors and Leicester West MP Patricia Hewitt for their backing as they try to extend the lease of the pub by a month.

The pub, in Leicester's West End, has been told to shut its doors by November 27 because of plans by the property's owner, De Montfort University, to build a sports centre.

Demolition work has begun on the nearby Bowstring bridge to make way for the university leisure centre and pool.

The Husains are asking the university for a month-long extension so staff would be able to keep their jobs over Christmas.

However, they said their pleas had fallen on deaf ears and that they were being ignored by the people supposed to be representing them.

John Husain said: "This constituency has lost a very important community facility and we want to know what the people who have lost the pub and the bridge will get out of the deal between the council and De Montfort.

"Our councillors should be telling us what's going on and explaining the situation. Instead we are being ignored and there is no one to turn to."

The brothers sent an e-mail to 43 councillors and three MPs in Leicestershire asking them to contact the university and support the lease extension.

They only had three replies offering support.

Stoneygate councillor Parmjit Singh Gill said: "By showing some flexibility the university has nothing to lose and a great deal of respect to gain."

Westcotes ward councillor Andy Connelly, one of the Husain brothers' local representatives, said he had no comment to make, and he would only respond if he was contacted directly rather than by a "round- robin e-mail."

The brothers say they are also disappointed not to hear back from Councillor Sarah Russell.

Andy Husain said: "I feel let down they haven't responded to my e-mails or my phone calls."

Leicester West MP Patricia Hewitt said: "I have every sympathy for people losing their jobs over Christmas, but it's not like the closure was sprung on them."

A university spokesman said: "We are keen to begin work as soon as possible. Whilst we sympathise with certain people's views regarding the Christmas period, it should come as no surprise because we've been talking about this for a very long time and we've been open about our plans from the beginning."