The owner of a popular clothing alteration shop in Ely is handing over her tape measure to a new seamstress.

Yolanda Barovska has been darning socks and sewing hems for the people of the city for the past five years but is moving back home to Latvia to be with her family at the end of this week.

So upset were Yolanda’s regular customers when they heard, that they have threatened to petition the council and blockade her small Lynn Road shop to prevent her leaving.

But Yolanda is confident she is leaving the business in capable hands, those of Sutton woman Maya Taylor, who has been working closely with Yolanda over the past two weeks to get a feel for the shop and its customers.

Yolanda said: “I want to say a big thank you to all my customers and to the people of Ely, they have been really nice and supported me over the years. I will miss the people and I will miss Ely, it is a really nice place to live.”

Maya, who had only popped into Yolanda’s shop for some alterations when she was offered the business for sale, added: “I am a bit nervous but I am looking forward to getting started.”

Contact the shop on 07852 686726.