'Frightening future' for animal carers A BOSS of an animal sanctuary forced to close in a bid to protect animals from the foot and mouth outbreak today pleaded with members of the public to keep supporting it -- or it could face ruin.

Olive Lomas said the effects of the crisis have been "devastating" on Oswaldtwistle-based Only Foals and Horses, with the sanctuary's future now looking "frightening." Her grave prediction comes as organisers of the Royal Lancashire Show, which takes place on June 27 to 29, unveiled plans for a 133-mile walk through Lancashire this weekend to raise money for struggling farmers.

Five members of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society will complete the walk to raise money for the local farming community. No definite decision has been taken on whether the show will still go-ahead.

The sanctuary, which houses a variety of animals, including ones which can catch foot and mouth, has been closed for three weeks following outbreak in East Lancashire.

Now the centre is having to manage without donations from visitors while supplies for their three charity shops -- in Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley -- are running low as well.

Olive said: "This has been devastating for us. The only people we are allowing in the centre are the volunteers and they are taking a lot of precautions, such as using disinfectant.

"Most people who donate goods for the charity shops drop them off here at the centre so obviously they are just turning away when they see the no entry sign.

"We are losing hundreds of pounds of potential donations and if the situation continues it will be frightening for us."

The centre makes a lot of its money from fund-rasing events held on the farm, off Haslingden Old Road.

One such event, a spring fair, has already had to be cancelled while this Easter's events, normally the biggest fund-raisers of the year, are also in jeopardy.

Olive added: "I am worried the next step will be the government calling on all hoofed livestock to be killed."

The charity walk starts at 10am on Saturday morning at Accrington Town Hall and will pass through Blackburn, Chorley, Preston, Fleetwood, Great Eccleston and Garstang before arriving in Lancaster on Monday afternoon. It is being led by Altham man Rennie Pinder, chairman of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society. He said: "The farmers have supported us year in, year out at the show and we are keen to help them during what is a very difficult time.

"We will be accompanied on the way by people with buckets which we hope will be filled with cash.

"It has taken a lot of organising. We have managed to get licences to collect cash on the way and have had to make sure that we are not crossing exclusion zones."