AN APPEAL has been launched to help pay for food for the animals at a community farm in Laverstock after it had to close to visitors due to the Covid-19 crisis.

River Bourne Community Farm cares for more than 250 animals and birds, and is looking to raise £3,600.

It costs around £1,200 a month to feed the animals.

Sara-Jane Hancock, the education and marketing manager at River Bourne Community Farm, said: "It’s a worrying time for everyone, we fully appreciate that, and we are very concerned about the farm. We closed the farm yard to visitors last Monday and from that point virtually all our income stopped as we have no visitors or students here. All of our 250 plus animals and birds all still need feeding which alone costs us around £1200 a month."

More than £1,500 was raised in the first 24 hours of the JustGiving crowdfunding page going live. And now more than £2,800 has been raised.

"We are blown away - we have a truly amazing community of followers, to whom we are eternally grateful," added Sara-Jane.

"We’ve also been humbled by the continued support of our dedicated volunteers who continue to come in to feed and care for our animals and collect eggs, which seem to be the new toilet roll, we are selling eggs from 10am Tuesdays and Fridays but they’re selling out fast as we only have a limited supply."

The farm cares for a range of animals including Highland cows, Hereford cross cows, sheep, donkeys, goats and Kune Kune pigs as well as rabbits and guinea pigs to name just a few.

Sara-Jane said: "We still need help if people are able to donate. We ask that if anyone has visited the farm for free over the years and who like what we do to donate what the can afford to help us keep going through this awful crisis. We couldn’t be more grateful to you all."

To make a donation go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/riverbournefarm