'Pretty terrible' pet pictures sold for Taunton charity

One pet owner has asked for the drawing so that she can frame it

While schools are closed a family has been producing a series of "pretty terrible" pet pictures to fundraise for a local animal shelter in Taunton.

The St Giles Animal Centre is in crisis after a fall in donations.

Hayley England said: "I saw a man on Facebook who raised £50,000 by doing drawings of animals so I thought I could do it too."

Her children Rita, seven, and Ron, five, have been helping but "mine are pretty terrible," she added.

Hayley England and her children use their creative skills to help raise funds for charity

The family accepts commissions to draw people's pets in exchange for a donation to The St Giles Animal Centre in Taunton. To date the England family has raised more than £285.

"We launched our crisis appeal because we're unable to get out and do our normal fundraising events to bring in money," Jack Linnell, one of the centre's directors, said.

The shelter's fundraising efforts would normally bring in excess of £15,000 for the charity.

"At one point we only had enough funds left for three months' operating costs," Mr Linnell added.

This chicken received the England family treatment

Ms England said she had sometimes "cried her eyes out with laughter" at some of the drawings she had produced.

"My daughter's are actually quite good," she added.

Ms England said the reaction to her drawings had all been positive.

"People absolutely love them, a few people actually want them to frame.

"I sent one off recently to the owner, she said she was over the moon with it."

The England family plans to continue with the pet commissions until schools reopen.

The cat in the (tin) hat as drawn by the England family