A North Yorkshire woman has transformed a disused, run-down outbuilding into an unusual shop and gallery.

Jan Bradshaw spent £30,000 converting and preparing an old cart house at Nunnington, near Helmsley, into a stylish shop.

The business, Agnus & Co, was inspired by trips overseas when Jan found there were very few places back home offering the kind of items she wanted to buy.

She realised the perfect premises for her idea were right on her doorstep in the grounds of her mother-in-law's house, opposite the church in Nunnington - an old, run-down cart house that was home only to a family of feral cats. The cats were moved to more comfortable surroundings and the project began.

It took six months from planning to its official opening by Heartbeat author Peter Walker, who said: "I'm proud to be associated with the project, which I've seen from concept to completion."

The shop sells an individual collection of gifts and treats, including handmade Venetian glass jewellery, textiles, lamps, toiletries, toys, candles and cards.

Jan said: "It's a mishmash, but it somehow works. I wanted to include work by local craftspeople and complement it with individual pieces from further afield.

"Many of my products are hand-made, including beautiful Venetian glass lamps, hand-woven linens, silk and wool scarves, cards and pictures and... all sorts of things."

Like her husband, Kevin, who is joint owner of Direction travel agency in Norton, Jan used to be a travel agent and gained experience in sales by working at fine furnishings shop Peter Silk, of Helmsley.

But before that she worked at Frobishers, which wholesaled fine arts cards in Helmsley before the owners closed it to move to Suffolk.

"It was a wonderful shop and I took my cue from that," said Jan.

Updated: 10:58 Thursday, June 10, 2004