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An animal sanctuary is set to open in the Staffordshire Moorlands in the New Year after a successful appeal in the Post & Times.

Last month, we featured an article for an animal welfare group, Footprints, who were looking for land to rent to enable them to set up a new sanctuary in the district for large animals.

Now following an excellent response, the group is about to sign a contract on a 16-acre plot of land in Longsdon on the outskirts of Leek.

Member of the group, Rob Eardley, aged 28, of Leek is now getting himself fit to take part in a run to raise money for the sanctuary.

Rob said: “We are hoping to have the land ready to start taking on animals in January. We are taking rescued animals such as, pigs, sheep, cows and chickens. We have a team of passionate volunteers ready too.

“Now I’m going to raise money for the animal sanctuary which will go on food, general startup costs and land rent.

“The event is called Escape From Meriden, it starts at 11.59pm on Friday, November 16 and ends at 11.59 on Saturday, November 17.

“It is quite a unique run as everyone starts in the same place at Meriden, which is the centre of England. People plan their own route, so everyone will have a different finish point. My route finishes in Middlewich. Cheshire and is approximately 73 miles.

“I presently run with a running club called Stoke Fit.”

To support Rob and the animal sanctuary go to the fundraising link which is www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/staffordshirefootprints

Chairman of the Footprints trustee board, Leek resident David Ibbetson, hopes Footprints can fill the void for a sanctuary.

He said: “There are lots of people willing to help animals which have suffered and need new homes.

“However for large animals such as cows, pigs, donkeys etc, there is always going to be the issue of space. That’s why we need a good sized piece of land so we can work to create safe homes for animals which have suffered.

“Having researched the current local market, and with our great team of volunteers, we know the sanctuary is a sustainable, feasible project for the area.”

If anyone would like to get involved you can join the Facebook group ‘Footprints Animal Sanctuary’.