Pictured above: (l-r) Managing Director Peter Forrest and Phil Davies check on the progress of the refurbishment work at Pughs of Shrewsbury

A Shropshire company is investing heavily in a major refurbishment of its historic offices.

Work is now under way at Pughs of Shrewsbury, in Longden Coleham, to transform their building which dates back to the late 18th and early 19th Century.

Managing Director Peter Forrest said the ongoing project would completely change the offices and praised both customers and staff for their patience during the work.

"We're creating a new chapel of rest, a new family room and new offices for our staff. There will also be a new disabled entrance with dedicated undercover parking and a wheelchair ramp that leads directly into our offices.

"It's a particularly ambitious programme of works, but we're committed to ensuring we can offer modern facilities through a scheme that's also sympathetic to the historical features of our building.

"We're extremely grateful for the patience shown by our customers and our staff, as the project has involved the vast majority of our office space, and we're looking forward to completing the work in the next few weeks."

Peter said the building works had already uncovered some amazing architectural treasures.

"The work has exposed some original features which date back to the 18th and 19th Centuries, including stone pillars and original oak beams which we believe were probably old ship timbers used when the building was first built.

"It has been incredible to see these features appear before our very eyes, and we're very pleased that they can now be incorporated into our new-look premises."

Pughs of Shrewsbury was established by Jabez Pugh in 1890 and is now run by the fourth generation of the Pugh family.