Work appears to be close to starting at a High Wycombe Tesco Express.

The Tesco Express on Hatters Lane can be seen with fences up around the building and car park.

Signage thanking people for their patience can also be seen attached to the fence, which is made up of metal temporary panels.

The fencing gives the appearance of a building site, seemingly indicating that work will be underway after the store closed in April to undergo a complete refit.

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The Tesco website says that the store is closed, as is the Whoosh service.

Previously, claims had been made on social media alleging the store had a rat infestation and smelled of sewage.

Buckinghamshire Council visited the Tesco Express after a receiving a complaint on March 16, with no formal regulatory action being taken.

Earlier in the year, the store underwent a ‘voluntary’ closure amid the allegations.

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On the Totteridge Community Group Facebook page, Sam Payne stated that rats are "causing madness" in the shop saying he feels for the staff who are "always happy and they got to deal with the smell".

He said the store "smells like bin".

Annie Khan commented that the shop had "long standing problems with their drainage systems".

She said: "I went in there around closing time a few years ago and the staff was mopping the floor when two rats shot out from under the shelves."

Tesco is working to reopen the store as soon as possible.