A llama named Hattie caused a stir in Shepton Mallet when she attended a special birthday party held in the town's High Street.

Shepton Cobblers were celebrating two decades in the town.

The owners, Jack and Marie Alford, together with son Mike, decorated the shop in a birthday theme complete with a huge cake that was shared out to the large number of new and old customers who were pouring into the shop last Friday.

Hattie stepped inside to meet the customers along with her owner, Caroline Pembro from Oakhill, who has been supplying the shop with luxury alpaca wool for the past two years.

Mr and Mrs Alford's first shop in the town is where the Shearing Shed is now and six years ago they moved to their present site.

The shoe repair business shared the premises with a large stock of wool and craft items and earlier this year the Alfords were able to take over the neighbouring shop so the shoe repair and crafts would have separate areas.

The shop now provides a range of goods including dress material, wool, haberdashery, sewing kits, craft presents, stencilling, stickers, scrapbooking and painting materials.

Mrs Alford said: "We seem to be bringing in lots of new people.

"Many of them say 'we haven't seen a shop like this in years'."

Mrs Alford added: "We would like to say a very big thank you to everyone who came along.

"Shepton is a lovely place and the town just needs a little boost with some niche shops to attract people in."

Elaine Green Community Correspondent