IT MIGHT not look much from the outside, but this down-at-heel home could help secure the future of Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary.

The house, bequeathed to the county’s largest animal rescue centre, is to go under the hammer next month.

Animal lover Vivian Kirk left his home in Walton Well Road, Jericho, Oxford, to the struggling sanctuary in his will when he died six years ago.

However, legal complications meant the four-bedroom Victorian end-of-terrace house was not ready to auction until now. And sanctuary trustees are hoping bidders snap it up quickly to secure the centre’s future.

The Stadhampton-based sanctuary was on the brink of closure earlier this year when funds almost dried up.

It was feared hundreds of animals might have to be put down if it shut up shop.

However, an emergency appeal through the Oxford Mail has so far secured donations totalling £90,000.

Mr Kirk’s property is valued at £350,000, which accountant John Lord of Brookwood Accountancy, the sanctuary’s book keepers, said would give the facility a lifeline of at least six months.

He said: “Auctioning it is the way we can get the most amount of money for it. The whole process is open and completely transparent.

“The house needs a complete programme of modernisation and refurbishment, but it’s got the potential to provide an excellent family home – and it’s in a prime position.

“If we had the house six years ago then we would have had the funds to renovate it and keep it as an investment. But we can’t now.”

Mr Lord said money from the sale would go towards running the sanctuary. He said: “It still costs us £10,000 a week to run.

“If we get no other funds, this would keep us going for about six months. But we do need a regular income. We can’t keep relying on these large legacies.

“That is not a way to run a charity. We need people to sign up to donate £10 or £5 every month in standing orders.”

Trustee Debbie Heath said: “We need as much support as possible and we hope lots of people will bid and give us the maximum amount of money.

“Our future depends on it.”

Philip Turner, director at estate agent Thomas Merrifield, which is marketing the property, said at least £100,000 was needed to bring it up to scratch.

He said: “It will be popular with individuals who want to be close to Walton Street.”

Roger Watts, managing director of Conference Centre Oxford, has provided his Park End Street venue for the auction, for free.

The auction takes place on November 26 at 6.30pm.

To help the sanctuary, visit oxfordshireanimalsanctuary.org.uk