Animal rights protesters turned out to see a court try a woman accused of running an illegal pet shop, only for the hearing to be postponed.

The second part of Julie Hutching’s trial was scheduled to conclude at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The 51-year-old, of Beeches, Road, Chelmsford, is charged with running a non-licensed breeding centre and non-licensed pet shop in 2013.

But the trial was immediately adjourned until a date, yet to be confirmed, because one of the three magistrates was unwell.