Donkey sanctuary shuts to public due to storms

A donkey sanctuary has been forced to temporarily close to the public due to £50,000 worth of damage caused by the "wettest winter they have ever faced".

A string of storms and bouts of heavy rainfall has caused wrecked fences, collapsed gates and waterlogged fields, prompting Severn Valley Rescue, in Shropshire, to stop public visits for health and safety reasons.

The charity which looks after disabled animals, including alpacas, pigs and ponies, has announced the cancellation of its February half term open days.

"I spent the day in tears and I am unsure whether we can even recover from this," Amanda Ball, the group's founder and trustee said.

She added: "This has not been an easy decision to make, but after assessing the ground conditions and the lay of the land, we have come to the devastating decision that we just can not open to the public for health and safety reasons.

"We are still trying to recover from possibly the wettest winter we have ever faced. We have had snow, several named storms and rain on top of more rain and even more rain."

In January, Storm Goretti brought heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures to the West Midlands followed by Storm Chandra just over two weeks later which caused flooding and widespread disruption.

Over the weekend, persistent downpours once again left many grappling with the impact of flooding.

The rain looks to continue for several days yet.

The cost to repair the damage to paddocks and paths is estimated to be about £50,000, and the charity has launched an appeal for help in raising the funds.

Customers who have booked for the half-term have been assured that they will automatically receive a refund.

The team added: "I am hopeful that if we can pull together we may be able to work a miracle and be open for Easter."

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