A shopkeeper in Ellesmere is unable to repair damage to her shop as a Ring-necked dove has set up home behind a road sign.

Mandy Kent, who owns Rainbows in Wharf Street, said that on May 11, her shop was hit by a lorry which knocked a give way sign situated on the junction with Scotland Street.

Her shop is currently surrounded by barriers and she is unable to repair the damage as the dove's nest sits behind the sign and it is illegal to move or destroy active nests.

"My shop is damaged substantially," said Mandy.

"Drivers' Sat Nav takes lorries down the wrong road, so when they try to turn road it is quite dangerous – it's an accident waiting to happen really.

"I'm hoping to have the barriers taken down from around the shop, but I have been told that legally I am not allowed to move the dove, so until then I just want to let people know that we are still open!"

A statement on the RSPB website said: "All birds, their nests and eggs are protected by law: the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. This makes it an offence, with certain exceptions, to deliberately take, damage or destroy the nest of an wild bird while it is in use or being built."

Mandy continued: "The barriers are a little bit of an eyesore, but this just goes to show that when something bad happens, there's always a bit of good.

"It's nice that this dove has set up home here, and I can hear it sometimes – it's definitely a conversation starter!"