The herring gull has set up home in the chimney of a pub in the path of the tunnel, being built from Jarrow to East Howdon.

Contractors TT2 have postponed demolition of the Gas Light pub for up to two months as wildlife laws prevent the nest from being disturbed.

Work to knock down the 200-year-old building in Jarrow will resume when the fledgling chicks have flown the nest.

TT2 spokeswoman Tamsin Greulich said: "Work has not ground to a halt but it has been delayed, possibly for as much as a couple of months.

"We were due to demolish the pub but are instead going to work around it, for the time being.

"The mother gull sits there on top of the chimney stack, keeping a close eye on what's going on, and we're going to leave her be until the chicks have gone."

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds, their nests and their eggs.

The pub was earmarked for demolition after fears tunnelling could collapse the structure on Commercial Row.