THE owner of a flower shop claims that her Mother's Day trade was lost after cones were put out in front of her shop stopping customers parking.

Roz Connor, of Bloomin' Lovely, in Whalley New Road, Blackburn, claims she was not informed the cones were being put in place by United Utilities.

And by midday on Sunday she saw her supply of customers begin to dry up.

Roz, 41, says she now has left-over flowers that she could be forced to throw away.

There are also worries that she may be forced to shut while the works continue.

She said: "What flower shop is not going to be busy on Mother's Day? To put the cones out is disgraceful.

"I think they put them there at about noon. We were busy until the lunchtime, then it was quiet. We've got quite a lot of flowers left over.

"It was still busy over the phone but people who normally drive past and pull up stayed away from the shop."

Roz says that the work, to improve water mains in the area, did not actually start until Monday morning but the cones were put out the previous day.

Flowers that Blooming Lovely would normally sell on Mother's Day are now in the shop and Roz said she will be asking United Utilities for compensation.

She said: "It's a really busy shop. I normally sell absolutely everything and end up having to close at about 3pm. But we were still here. Now I might have to throw them away.

"I have said to United Utilities if it carries on like this I am going to have to close my shop down. My stock goes off, it isn't like I can freeze it. We buy it and if we don't sell it we throw it away. I am very upset."

A spokesman for United Utilities said the work was part of a 14-week rolling programme in the area.

The spokesman added: "This is essential work which has been planned in advance with the highways department and which will mean improved water supplies for businesses and residents alike. If she feels that she has been unduly affected she needs to contact us directly and we will look into it."