EAST Lancashire's largest animal sanctuary is facing financial hard times due to the foot and mouth crisis and is appealing for the public to help.

Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary has been in self-imposed quarantine for six weeks since the crisis began.

Ministry officials visited the site, above Edenfield, and have told the sanctuary to stay closed.

As a result a spring open day which would have normally been held in the sanctuary's barn is now to be staged at Ramsbottom Civic Hall on April 22.

Estate manager Bill Holden said: "Our main difficulty is we cannot have any visitors so we are missing out on a lot of food which we normally get donated.

"We are struggling for food and for donations. We have more than 500 animals on site, dogs, cars, 40 horses, 15 donkeys, Shetland ponies, sheep, cattle, goats pigs and rabbits.

"There are 29 full-time employees and their wages also need to be paid."

The sanctuary was opened in 1953 and was caring for animals through the last foot and mouth crisis in 1967, but Bill said: "We have grown a lot bigger since those days.

"We have dogs and cats that are ready to go out to homes and people have asked to adopt, but we can't send them out just in case there is a problem and they have to return because we would then have to put them in quarantine. "Financially I should think we will cope but the more we can get in the better. There are some good people out there.

"People have been giving at our food collection points in Asda in Rawtenstall and Accrington and at our shops in Blackburn and Accrington.

"We also get people coming up to the farm and as long as they stay in the lane and hand the food over there is no problem.

"When we get trucks with food they have to stay in the car park and be disinfected before we unload the feed."

All of the cloven hooved animals are being kept indoors to make sure they do not contract the virus.

Anyone who wants to donate money can send cheques to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Rochdale Road, Edenfield BL0 0RX.