A FAMILY-run animal sanctuary has opened after being in the pipeline since last April.

Didcot Animal Sanctuary is using a three-acre site at Hill Farm, in Appleford, which the landowner has let it use for free.

Lucy Clifton, 20, runs the site with her mother and stepfather Julia and David Vaughan, and houses 150 animals including pigs, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, horses and dogs at the site.

They held a family fun day at Didcot Town Football Club on Saturday to celebrate the sanctuary opening.

Miss Clifton said: “We just love animals, it’s our passion.

“I have been brought up with animals and you can make them happy by re-homing them to someone who cares about them.”

Saturday’s event helped to raise £200 for the sanctuary, which costs between £12,000 and £15,000 a year to run and registered as a non-profit organisation in January.

Amy Bayliss manned a car boot stall with mum Theresa Savage, 48, of Mendip Heights, Didcot. The 29-year-old said: “It was a good old day and it was nice to get out and see some friendly faces.”

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