Cat rescue praises 'unbelievable' donations for roof appeal

Marion Micklewright, pictured with her cat Paige, says turning away a cat in need "isn't an option"

Staff at a cat rehoming charity say they have had "mind-blowing" support for a roof appeal.

Shropshire Cat Rescue, based in Bayston Hill, is hoping to raise £22,000 in order to fix a roof which has become riddled with holes.

The charity has been running for 21 years, and with the worn-out structure part of an old building, it has raised concerns that if there is asbestos, the fix could be very expensive.

Manager Marion Micklewright said her team "know that our supporters are the best ever".

Since launching the appeal on 5 October, Shropshire Cat Rescue has managed to raise more than £5,500 - a quarter of the money needed.

Staff are hoping they will manage to reach their target in time for Christmas.

Ms Micklewright said the response to the appeal had been "such a relief" as it meant the charity could use its existing money to "go towards some of the veterinary bills".

"We knew that if we put out an appeal we would get a response - but didn't know we were going to get quite this much of a response," she added.

"It's wonderful and it hasn't really sunk in."

These 11-week-old kittens are among Shropshire Cat Rescue's 90 inhabitants

Ms Micklewright explained: "There is a hole emerging in the roof and we've also noticed that some of the panels on the roof are starting to deteriorate."

She added the situation had "got to a stage now where we really need to make this our priority".

The affected building is used for storage and overflow space to house cats brought to the shelter.

"If a cat needs help and there's no one else to take it on we will rig up a temporary pen [there]," Ms Micklewright said.

However, if the roof is not fixed, and the overflow area is lost, the charity fears it could have to "turn away" some animals.

"We've never had to do that before so I have no idea how difficult that would be for our admin team," Ms Micklewright said.

"There'd probably be a lot of tears, a lot of lost sleep from all of us, so really it isn't an option."

The offending roof has developed small holes and cracks

As well as cats up for adoption, the charity also has a "retirement village" for older animals not seeking new homes.

As such, there is an urgency to their fundraising with winter approaching - the rescue centre, near Lyth Hill, is particularly exposed to the elements.

The shelter gets "very very high winds up here", Ms Micklewright said.

"It can be quite bleak and so we've got concerns that now there are small holes... they could become big holes."

The shelter has a 'retirement village' for its oldest residents