OWNERS of an animal sanctuary in Didcot said they are ‘overwhelmed’ by people’s offers of help after their desperate rehoming appeal.

Last week David and Julia Vaughan sent out a cry for help to find a new home for their 200 animals after they were told they needed to vacate their current premises.

Offers of support have flooded in to the couple, with residents far and wide across the county offering to rehome dogs, cats, chickens and ducks.

Mr Vaughan said: “We appreciate everybody who has come forwarded to help and it is really nice that so many people care.

“But ideally what we hoped for was a new plot of land for our sanctuary to move to.

“We don’t want to split the animals up or stop what we are doing, we need a new patch of land.

“We have a small pony, which is blind, and he needs to stay with us.”

The great-grandparents who live in Blewbury built ten stable, 16 chicken runs and 30 paddocks on the site from recycled wood and say that as soon as they find a new field they will dismantle it all and start from scratch.

The 65-year-old added: “I just want to find a two-acre field and we we build all this again and carry on.”

The sanctuary has enjoyed a rent-free existence on Hill Farm in Appleford for three years but now the owners are planning to sell their entire 55-acre site to Hampshire firm, Pro Vision, to turn into a technology park.

Mr Vaughan said:”The owner of Hill Farm is a good bloke, he’s always looked after us, and if he wants to sell up it’s his land.

“All we want is another field, anywhere – as long as it’s not too far away – and we’ll rebuilt it all.”

The couple have already spent the past six months hunting but come up empty handed.

They don’t need electricity but do need running water and at least two acres of space.

If you know of land that could be used for the sanctuary email news@nqo.com