Central Networks, the electricity distribution company for central England, expected to be the first to take ownership of a new substation in Leicestershire - but a pair of robins had other ideas.

The feathered friends moved in and built their nest in a pallet of bricks at the new 132kV substation at Meaford during a break in the construction programme.

By the time the construction team was ready to start on site again, the chirpy pair had not only built their nest but become proud expectant parents to four eggs.

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Naturally neither the contractor nor the Central Networks team wanted to disturb the birds and they consulted the RSPB about the best way to protect the robins while construction continued.

The pallets of bricks were fenced and screened to allow the robins to sit on the nest without being disturbed by construction teams.

Just two weeks after the robins were first discovered, the eggs hatched and a fortnight later the fledglings were ready to leave the nest - just in time to fit in with the contractor's schedule for putting the roof on the building.

"Both the Central Networks colleagues who made visits to site during construction and the bricklayers on site became quite fond of the robins," said Operations Engineer, John Mather. "It's great that the contractor was able to accommodate the birds within the construction schedule without causing any delays to the project."

(CD/JM)