SHOPPERS are being urged to back the latest annual Christmas collection by staff at Co-op Travel in Stretford Mall for a busy animal sanctuary.

Relying solely on donations from well-wishers, Animals in Distress (AID) runs two voluntary centres which care for a wide variety of creatures great and small, from cats and dogs to horses and donkeys and even rats, pigs guinea pigs, reptiles and a handful of peacocks.

Travel adviser Vikki Lomas explained that this will be the fourth year that she and fellow staff members at Co-op Travel in Stretford Mall have held their Christmas collection to benefit AID, which has sanctuaries at Irlam and Littleborough.

Vikki, 28, who has been closely involved with the collections since they began, said: “AID does a fantastic job looking after all kinds of animals but their work needs lots of support, which is why we are again running our collection to provide some extra help just before Christmas.

“It will carry on until about the second week in December and once again we are encouraging our customers to help AID by donating things such as food, bedding, new collars and leads and even toys for the animals.

“We are also hoping there will be donations of cash, which is particularly important to cover the cost of vets’ bills and medicines which they animals need to keep them healthy.”

To offer a new home to animals being cared for at the Irlam sanctuary, call 0161 775 2221. Go on to the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/38467907786/.