Flood-hit donkey sanctuary raises £43K

More than £43,000 has been donated in less than 24 hours to help a donkey sanctuary repair a flooded barn after it put out an urgent plea for help.

The Flicka Foundation, based near Penryn in Cornwall, shared the appeal after storms left Bilbo's Barn, home to 18 of its most vulnerable donkeys, badly damaged.

Part of the roof was torn off in the first storm and staff tried to patch it, but water kept pouring in.

Underground springs then pushed floodwater up through the concrete floor, leaving the animals standing in cold running water and breathing damp air.

Director and trustee Laurie Stevenson told BBC Radio Cornwall the team felt "absolutely overwhelmed because we've reached the target and beyond, because people have just been so wonderful. We just can't thank people enough."

Stevenson said many of the affected donkeys have asthma, turning the situation into a race to protect their health.

Staff had tried drains and gullies in the past, but nothing had worked. She said the only fix now was to dig up the entire concrete slab, drain beneath it and rebuild the floor properly so the barn stays dry in future.

She called the repair estimate of £36,000 "an awful lot of money" and said it pushed the charity to ask for help.

Donations poured in after the appeal was launched on Friday night.

The cash will pay for the new floor, repairs to the roof and replacement field shelters.

Staff are now moving the donkeys into temporary spaces while the work goes ahead.

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