A woman who started a sanctuary in her garden for 'unwanted' animals including a disabled sheep on wheels says it is at risk of closure - because of the summer heatwave.

Hayley Blundell, 53, started Lotus Lamb & Animal Sanctuary back in 2021 - and it now homes over 200 animals - sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys ponies, alpacas and cats.

From elderly animals in the later stages of their lives to those with disabilities like broken, injured or inoperable limbs - passionate vegan and animal rescuer Hayley cares for 'all the animals other people don't take' and there is 'nowhere else for them to go'.

She even has a sheep who walks with wheels called Hope who arrived from a 'terrible place'- unable to hold herself up as she was severely malnourished starved of water and feed.

But now Hayley says the sanctuary is 'in dire need' of donations to feed and home its animals over winter - or they face a 'heartbreaking' uncertain future.

Hayley says the sanctuary has faced massive cost increases due to the cost of price soaring.

As temperatures rose over the summer the sanctuary which relies on donations faced financial pressure.

Hayley said: "We are in the most dire situation. It breaks my heart and I cannot cope anymore."

"I don't have the space or resources to feed all the animals - other sanctuaries can't take them either because they are struggling themselves."

"If I don't take these animals and care for them - they are going to die. "

"The old ones will have to be euthanised because what else would I do?"

"I mean, what happens to a pet who has no food to eat? They can't survive off thin air."

"It's so scary. "

"There is nowhere else for them to go, but we have never given up - and we aren't going to start now."

The life Lotus Lamb & Animal Sanctuary began back in 2021, when Hayley moved to Sussex, and she bought a house that backed onto a farm.

When one day the local farmer asked her if she would like to bottle feed one of their lambs, she admitted she 'could not refuse' - but did not realise what she had gotten herself into.

She explained: "Very naively, I thought the lambs went to petting zoos or farms, but no - they go to slaughter and then market."

"When I found this out, I begged to buy the lambs - but the farmer said no."

"So every time they had lambs, I said I would help, and eventually I offered to take all of their sheep as I just couldn't see them go to market. They agreed, and that's when I started the sanctuary."

The lambs used to come into Hayley's back garden and she would give them love and treats.

All the lambs then got pregnant, including one that Hayley's son had named Lamborghini who was just four-months-old at the time.

Hayley said: "Sheep always give birth in the place they feel most secure, so they all came into my garden to give birth to their babies!"

"Lamborghini gave birth to a little boy, born severely disabled who sadly died not long after birth - and a tiny girl, just weighing one kilo - who we called Lotus."

After caring for the baby lambs and Lotus for as long as she could, Hayley decided to rent more land as her garden soon became too small to look after the animals.

She ended up renting more land, and caring for some pigs - including one that escaped from a slaughter house, whom she called Clarence.

Hayley said: "We name all the animals when they come here unless they come as a pet that was loved - because we offer them a new lease of life."

She then started rescuing animals too - from chickens to horses, turkeys and more pigs.

But now, the sanctuary is in trouble after a recent plot of land a donor was going to buy for Hayley recently fell through because the owner pulled out last minute.

In addition to this, the UK has just faced the hottest year on record so far - which meant all the winter hay Hayley had bought for the animals to last the winter had to be fed to the sheep over the summer because they could not graze on the dried up grass.

The team at the sanctuary are hoping to raise £15k to buy a poly tunnel to house the animals over winter, as well as flooring for the poly tunnel, and pay for winter hay.

This number does not include vet bills or any other animal feed.

Hayley said: "It costs £700 alone for pig food - chicken, turkey, horse and alpaca feed is all separate. "

"We are desperate for food. A bail of hay used to be £60 - but now it's £95."

"We go through 10 big bails a week - that is nearly £1,000 a week just on hay alone."

The dedicated animal rescuer said she could not do the work she does without the 'incredible' support from all her volunteers and donors - such as Joe Downing, who helps Hayley to buy much-needed land for the animals.

Hayley added: "I'm not going to give up - it's a dire situation but I won't lose hope."

"It's the only reason I'm here apart from my own children."

"My phone goes constantly with people asking me to take animals."

"The dream would be to raise so much money to buy lots of land so i never have to say no!"

So far, the sanctuary have raised £9,560 of their £15,000 goal.

You can support the sanctuary here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-feed-us-this-winter

Follow the sanctuary: https://www.facebook.com/Lotuslamb