AN Ellesmere Port business based in a converted pink double decker bus in Eastham is offering "welfare grooms" for dogs.

Nicola Forster, 39, and Francesca Wills, 28, run the business The Dog Shack at Molly’s Urban Farm.

She said: “I didn’t want a salon because with a salon comes lots of responsibility and bills, so we ran with the idea of a bus.

“We started doing some deals and offers at the beginning of the energy crisis and credit crunch. We got lots of new customers who couldn’t afford the price rises.”

Nicola explained that she noticed lots of her regular customers not visiting as often due to not being able to afford it.

She said: “Four weeks ago, one of my customers came in and her dog was covered in fleas with his nails outgrown and he was in a real state. She told me she could just about afford to feed her house at the moment, so dog grooming is the very last thing on her list.”

Nicola and Francesca decide to introduce the "welfare groom". The groom takes fur everywhere from the dog and costs £10 for a small dog or £15 for a medium or large dog.

She said: “It’s for people who can’t afford a groom but want to keep their dogs comfortable and happy.

“We don’t make any money off it whatsoever, but it’s about the dog rather than it being a business for us.”

Chester and District Standard:

The welfare groom has become a really popular service in the Eastham area because many people are struggling financially.

Nicola explained that she plans to keep the welfare groom around for the foreseeable to help people and dogs in the community.

She added: “Someone has to offer something because there is nothing like it around.”