An RSPCA wildlife centre in Nantwich is thanking a local supermarket and its customers for donating £5,000 worth of pet food in the last 12 months.

Sainsbury’s, in Middlewich Road, has a drop-off point in the store for people to donate cat and dog food to Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre & Cattery. As a result of the drop-off, approximately £5,000 worth of food has been donated since the start of January 2016.

As well as feeding the cats currently at the centre, the food is also given to hedgehogs, gulls and foxes in the wildlife hospital.

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange, said “The support has been incredible and it has made a massive difference to our food bill.

“Any donations that we have not been able to use here have been used by the inspectorate, to help feed animals that may be trapped in houses or used to trap injured or sick strays that have subsequently been taken into care and so every last tin or pouch has been used.

“We are incredibly grateful to shoppers for their donations, and also to Sainsbury’s for giving us this opportunity - especially Olwyn Payton, the store’s PR assistant, who organises the donations.”

Olwyn said: “Sainsbury's customers have been supporting Stapeley Grange for the last couple of years. The team here are very proud to be supporting the centre, through our customers. Our customers will feel very proud that they have saved so much money through their donations for a worthy cause.”

Anyone who would like to donate can do so at the store. Top of the list of items needed are Whiskas cat food and Pedigree dog food (not fish-based or gravy mixes).

In 2016, 261 cats arrived at the cattery and 6,635 wild, exotic and domestic casualties, including hedgehogs, foxes and seals, were admitted into the wildlife hospital.

If you would like to help RSPCA Stapeley Grange with a donation of just £3, simply text RSPCA2 to 70007. Texts cost £3 + standard network rate.