RESIDENTS in a quiet Hampshire neighbourhood were treated to an unusual display when a swathe of superheroes dropped in to mark the start of a new housing development.

A team of Batmen, along with sidekick Robin and the dynamic duo's arch enemy, The Penguin, turned Hollman Drive in Romsey into a scene from a comic book as they joined councillors, construction bosses and housing officers to celebrate the official start of a new affordable housing project.

Work to demolish a derelict building in the peaceful cul-de-sac had to be put on hold at the end of last year when a colony of roosting bats was found in the premises.

Laws protecting the declining number of pipistrelle bats meant developer Testway Housing had to wait until the window of opportunity, from the end of the hibernation season in mid-March, to the start of the breeding season in May, before they could start the redevelopment.

The housing company, which owns about 5,000 properties in the county, has been working with bat experts, after signs of the nocturnal creature were spotted at the building, to avoid any disturbances and secure planning permission.