Traffic lights that have caused congestion in Ellesmere for more than seven months after a fire ripped through a house leaving it unsafe are to be removed today.

Temporary lights were put up near the fire-ravaged property in Church Street last year to allow restoration work to be carried out on the house.

Contractors Perry today revealed they have finished the work ahead of schedule.

The firm said it wanted to complete the work before the Easter bank holiday so as not to disrupt the town, which is bracing itself for an influx of visitors to the picturesque mere.

Ellesmere mayor Councillor Ann Hartley said she was pleased the lights were going but added people had been very understanding after the fire.

She said: “People have been so patient and understanding and it’s been unbelievable. The whole thing has been looked at as a community issue.”

Fire caught hold at the three-storey building in August. Crews from Oswestry, Ellesmere, Chirk and Wem fought for nearly three hours to bring the blaze under control.

The roof of the house and that on a property next door were destroyed and tiles were removed from the building so the crews could tackle the fire from above.

Shropshire Ambulance Service was also called out when one firefighter suffered minor injuries. Crews stayed at the scene all night to ensure the fire was properly out.

At the time homeowner Joy Scott Hamilton expressed her thanks to the firefighters for their stalwart efforts and people in the town for their support following the blaze.