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Shrimp & Doodle is full of brightly-coloured, unique and quirky stationery and gifts and it was owner Kayleigh McDonald’s dream come true when she opened up on Brooklands estate last October.

Determined to be part of the community, she runs free children’s craft sessions and even keeps a large store of period products to hand out free to anyone in need.

But there is just one problem – a lack of customers. And Kayleigh is convinced this is because the shop is so hidden that nobody knows it is there.

The shop is hard to find, tucked away on Brooklands estate

"I’m sandwiched between empty shops and hidden by a pillar. There’s just no footfall…” she said,

"Quite regularly there’s days where I don’t get a single customer in the shop and I know it’s down to lack of footfall and not because the products are not good.”

Shrimp & Doodle is one of the first shops to open in the Brooklands local centre. Though Kayleigh knows business will pick up when the other units are taken, she’s worried she will be forced to close before that happens.

This week the 32-year-old mum-of-two launched Operation#SaveShrimpy on social media, urging people to share details of her shop.

Shrimp & Doodle sells unique and quirky gifts and stationery products

She said: “It’s easy for me to say come in and buy something or I’m going to lose the shop. But that isn’t fair on any of you and I don’t want guilt sales.

"What I do want you to do is share the absolute s**t out of the shop The power of social media is so valuable to a small business like me.

"You might not have a need to go to the shop now but in the future please bear me in mind. For example, I sell cards so instead of going to the supermarket to get a card, you could support me. You’d be supporting other small businesses as I design my own cards and order in from other creatives.”

Already there have been hundreds of shares. Now Kayleigh is busy making ‘Save Shrimpy’ badges and is planning more free children’s craft sessions. She is even offers the youngsters shelf space to sell their wares to earn pocket money.

Meanwhile, you can check out the shop’s products online here.

Owner launches campaign to save Milton Keynes' most 'hidden' shop