CUSTOMERS and staff at a busy bank have been getting into a flap after BATS forced bosses to close the doors.

The nocturnal creatures have been found in the roof at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Church Street, Johnstone.

And, on a number of occasions, customers have been left locked outside while animal experts deal with the unwanted visitors.Bats are protected by law, with special permission needed to handle them.

Wet weather is said to have created perfect conditions for the bats to live in, with the tiny mammals squeezing through small gaps in the building.

However, specialists were brought in to block these spaces in the hope this will put an end to the invasion.

Wildlife officials will also continue to monitor the situation.

A spokesman for the Royal Bank of Scotland said: “There has been an issue with bats in the branch recently.

“Whilst the branch has never closed, we have had to open the bank late on a number of occasions.

“We are working with the SSPCA and a local ecology group called Wild Surveys and, if a bat is found, a representative from Wild Surveys is contacted and the bat is removed within 30 minutes.”

Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn, of the Scottish SPCA, added: “We were made aware of the situation. Bats and their roosts are fully protected by law.”