April fool! McDonald's will not take over Birtchnells site in Berkhamsted

It appeared on the fencing around the former Birtchnells site overnight - and caused quite a stir.

The colourful laminated A4 sign proclaimed that the damaged shop in the middle of the High Street had been 'acquired for McDonald's'. 

But residents who began worrying that the fast food chain would move in and dominate the town were the victim of an April Fool's Day prank. 

A spokesman for McDonald's confirmed that the sign, which went up on April 1, was nothing more than a hoax. 

He added that the company has not bought the site and is only developing drive-thru restaurants at the moment, which the former men's outfitter would not be suitable for. 

Were you taken in by the April Fool? What would you like to see happen to the Birtchnells site?