ELEVEN puppies abandoned the week before Christmas have all been found new homes.

The four-week-old litter, left in a box and handed in at Accrington Police Station, had to be hand-reared by staff and volunteers at Aspen Valley Boarding Kennels and Cattery, Oswaldtwistle.

Aspen Valley began rehoming the pups on Saturday, January 12.

By 12.30pm that day, six of them had found new homes. The remaining puppies had all been rehomed by Sunday.

Stephen Wood, chair-man of Hyndburn Stray Dogs in Need, and also dog warden for Hyndburn Borough Council, said the rehoming of the pups had been a massive success.

He said: "Caring for these dogs was tougher than usual. Because of their age, it was very time-intensive caring for them.

"They all needed hand-feeding, worming and have now had all the necessary innoculations.

"The volunteers have been great. The family that runs Aspen Valley have had their children's friends helping out as well.

"It's always easier rehoming puppies. It's the smelly, old mong-rels that we struggle finding homes for.

"They do such a good job at Aspen Valley, I had no worries about them being rehomed."

Jean Stanley, 61, of Shorrock Lane, Blackb-urn, saw the story of the puppies' plight and offered one a home She said: "I wasn't particularly looking for a dog, but I saw them and just thought it was such a shame.

"I rang up Aspen Valley straightaway and they asked us to wait a couple of weeks bef-ore going down.

"My partner Derrick collected the puppy from the kennels as soon as she was ready.

"I came up with the idea to call her Lucky, as it was lucky they were found and rescued. Derrick is retired now so we have the time for it. She seems happy and she's full of life."

All veterinary bills for the care of the puppies were met by the Hyndburn Stray Dogs in Need charity, which last year won the Special Achievement Awa-rd during the Mars Good Dog Campaign'.

Mr Wood added: "The average cost to look after a stray dog is about £10 per day and we get that money from donations to the centre, online donations, and purchases made at our charity shop in Whalley Road, Accrington."

According to its website, it cost approximately £1,000 to look after the puppies until they were rehomed.

To make a donation, or for more details about the charity's work, contact 01254 875990.