AN animal sanctuary is getting ready to a host a hen party with a difference.

Visitors will be flocking to Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary to attend its rehoming day for dozens of ex-battery or rescued hens.

The Edenfield sanctuary will hold a rehoming day, run by the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT).

BHWT rehomes commercial laying hens from the British egg industry that would otherwise go for slaughter.

Bleakholt, which rehomes dogs, cats and small animals as well as donkeys, pigs, horses, is helping to find new loving homes for the hens.

Sanctuary manager Karen Weed said: "These girls have lived in cages all their life and have never been outside, so to watch their first day of freedom, the first time they feel grass beneath their feet, or experience their first dust bath is a joy to see."

Hens Daisy and Sophia Roma have already found loving homes.

The hens that will be in attendance at the event on Saturday, February 22, have all been booked for rehoming with BHWT and will be collected from Bleakholt by their new families.

To find out more about rehoming these hens visit www.bhwt.org.uk/rehome-some-hens/ or call the henline on 01884 860084.