Birds nesting at Tesco after nets removed at Norwich store

Pictures on Twitter appeared to show birds were nesting at the supermarket after nets were removed

Swallows have been seen nesting outside a supermarket, weeks after nets to keep birds away were removed.

Tesco installed netting above the trolley park at its Harford Bridge store in Norwich after complaints about bird droppings.

It was then taken down after criticism online. Pictures on Twitter showed nests at the building, with reports of swallows "flying about".

Tesco said there were no plans to put the netting back up.

Tesco said it had no plans to reinstate the netting at the Norwich branch

The supermarket received widespread criticism on social media after it put up the netting in March, with many people concerned that the birds could get caught in it and die.

It later said it had decided to "temporarily" remove the nets after listening to feedback, and birds settled on the building within days.

Norfolk Wildlife Rescue founder Kevin Murphy said on Twitter: "Popped by to Tesco Harford Bridge. Saw some swallows, flying about. Spotted 4 nests."

A Tesco spokesman said: "We have no plans to reinstate the netting at our Norwich Harford Bridge store."

Netting was erected to protect the trolley area from bird droppings, the store said

Chris Skinner, a Norfolk farmer and conservationist, said it proved social media could be a "force for good".

Mr Skinner, who has monitored the Harford Bridge swallows since they arrived six years ago, said they flew 5,000 miles from South Africa to their summer nesting site in Norfolk.

The supermarket said it had initially cleared the back of the store so swallows could nest there instead, but experts said the birds preferred to return to the same spot every year.