An error by a shop on the Orkney island of Sanday has left it with 720 Easter eggs in the store – far more than its entire population.

Sinclair General Stores needed to order 80 eggs, but instead accidentally ordered 80 cases of nine, giving it a total of 720 for the 500-strong population.

The shop’s owner Dan Dafydd described his initial “embarrassment and shame” when he realised how many eggs had arrived.

“The rest of the staff were chuckling and finding it very entertaining,” he added.

In the spirit of Willy Wonka, he is now running a competition to let one person win 100 of the spare eggs – all in aid of charity.

He said: “I don’t think conventional means is going to get rid of them.

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In a statement, the RNLI thanked the shop for the efforts to raise money for the organisation.

It said: “We’re eggstremely grateful to Dan Ap Dafydd at Sinclair General Stores in Sanday for this incredibly generous gesture after a rather unfortunate delivery of 720 chocolate eggs! Thank you.”