The future of a well-loved Letchworth guinea pig sanctuary remains in doubt after a meeting on Monday evening between district councillors and environmental health officers.

Housing association Settle wrote to owner Jane Evans last week, advising that her 200-strong guinea pig sanctuary - Iggle Piggle Guinea Pigs, on the Jackmans estate - was to be shut down within four weeks.

The family were blamed for attracting rats to the area, and the state of the facilities in their garden were deemed "not acceptable".

In the wake of an online petition - which has now reached nearly 7,000 signatures - Letchworth district councillors Adem Ruggiero-Cakir and Kate Aspinwall met with representatives from Settle and environmental health officers, to see if an agreement could be reached.

The pair said in a statement on Tuesday morning: "We are all clear that there are positive solutions to this and we are working hard to ensure that this does not result in the need to rehome the much-loved guinea pigs.

"We are all agreed that good progress is being made in the areas that are required by EH and that we hope to see that continue. EH are willing to be flexible on the timelines, so long as good plans are in place.

"Ultimately, we are all concerned with all residents health, safety and wellbeing as well as the animal's welfare."

Jane said she is fighting the ruling with "hammer and tongs", but is "stressed and worried" at being made to "live in a land of limbo".

"I just wanted to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for all the continuous support," Jane posted on social media this morning.

"We are just waiting for contact from Environmental Health to see what the next step is."

If you wish to donate to help cover the costs of improvements, visit the Evans family GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/iggle-piggle-rehoming?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+header&fbclid=IwAR1APWX1huZ8ZrVr69p1gsOcI4yqD2WBjwmTDkECUKdWOTqQXnh_aNbrg7Y