An under-fire book store owner has been evicted from her shop for owing thousands of pounds in rent, according to her landlord.

Jackie Dalley, who ran Dilley Dalley Books in Bank Street, Irvine, has been kicked out over alleged spiralling unpaid rent debts of more than £5,800.

According to John Payne, treasurer of the 149 Masonic Lodge, the Lodge owned the building and rented the shop to Ms Dalley since she opened at the beginning of year.

But John says Mrs Dalley only paid her rent once and now owes the Lodge thousands.

He told the Times: “We got the Sheriff’s Officers to her to get her out because she’s not paid a penny to us in rent for months. She owes us £5,600.

“We’ve have that shop for 60 years and this is the first time we have ever had any kind of trouble with anyone paying rent.

“We’ve started legal proceedings against her but there’s a good chance we will just never see that money.

“I am only speaking out because I read her comments in previous articles where she is acting like she is the wrong one, when nothing could be further from the truth. She has done this to countless people so everyone needs to be aware of what she’s like. What’s stopping her from moving to a different town and starting up again?”

The latest claims come after a vigilante hit out at Mrs Dalley alleging that she owes him money too.

Graham Crawley from Auld Lang Signs covered the Dilley Dalley shop sign with another saying: “The woman inside this shop doesn’t pay her bills. This sign will be removed when she does.”

Mr Crawley returned a further three times to plaster other signs over the shop front alleging that Mrs Dalley owed him and other businesses money.

Mrs Dalley has been approached for comment.