Couple's drive to rescue animals

Lynne Bigden and her partner Chris should know - they look after injured and abandoned gulls, cats and rabbits at their home in Chantry Avenue.

The couple contacted the Observer to express thanks to people who have donated items for them to sell at car boot sales so they can continue to provide food, care and treatment needed for the creatures they take in.

Lynne and Chris are both devoted animal lovers who got together because they had so many values in common, including both being single parents who were vegetarian.

They both work full-time - Lynne is a postal worker while Chris is in the NHS - but their spare moments go into caring for herring gulls, greater blackback gulls and others needing urgent TLC - and they even bought a bigger house together to help them do so more easily.

“She cares about animals like I do,” said Chris.

“It’s gulls which seem to be the most neglected though - judging by the ones we have had in, which have been burned, tortured - it’s horrible.”

They have recently taken in two rabbits which Chris estimates will cost them personally £150 in all for food and treatment.

He commented: “We are very open about what we do and any money raised goes towards our animals.”

Lynne said: “All of them are animals other people could no longer look after for whatever reason.

“It’s mainly gulls we have dealt with this year - taking them in, feeding them up, waiting until they are ready to go and getting them released.

“As far as I am concerned everything has a right to live I hate cruelty to any animal or bird - I just think it’s wrong.”

• Chris and Lynne are always on the lookout for donations of leftover food to help feed their animals; from local bakeries, greengrocers and supermarkets as they recently lost their supplier.

If anybody can help please contact them on 01424 225647 or 07905599298. They can deliver on a weekly basis.