A CAT charity is desperately seeking a Santa Claws to give them a new home.

The Cats Paws charity is looking for land for a sanctuary where sick and stray cats can be cared for.

To cope with massive demand, the charity is currently fostering out cats to private homes and using various veterinary practices for treatment.

It has been doing this for 12 months since it had to leave its previous site in Holts Lane, Poulton, when the owner of the land became seriously ill.

An application was made, recently, for a site on Midgeland Road, Marton Moss, but was rejected by council planning chiefs despite petitions of support signed by hundreds of local people.

Cats Paws secretary Thelma Caddoo said: "We are looking for a half acre site for a sanctuary and cat hospital.

"We are very busy at the moment and have been inundated with calls by people wanting us to take in their cats.

"If we can find land for our own sanctuary we could care for many more cats than we can now.

"The problem is a lot of people take in kittens but then get tired of them when they grow up. And if they don't bother to have the cats neutered the problem just gets worse."

As well as caring for cats the charity operates a rescue service and helps people look after their pets at home.

It is run by a team of volunteers and funded by shops on Vicarage Lane, Blackpool, and West Cliffe Drive, Layton.

Anyone with spare land who may be able to give the charity a purrrfect Christmas present should contact Thelma on (01253) 348905.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.