HUNDREDS of stray and unwanted dogs in Wyre Forest could be destroyed unless a financial lifeline is thrown to a rescue charity suffering a funding crisis.

Forest Dog Rescue has been saving the lives of stray and unwanted dogs for 20 years but volunteer Wendy Watts says the organisation will be forced to close its doors permanently unless it receives a cash injection of thousands of pounds.

She has warned if the sanctuary, which has operated under various names, cannot and individuals will be destroyed after seven days in the dog pound - unless their owners are found.

"It's our policy not to put dogs down, regardless of their age, so it costs a lot of money to keep them until we find them a stable home," the 42-year-old of Oak Hill Avenue, Kidderminster, explained.

"And there will be an awful lot of dogs destroyed if we finish as a charity - and it will be us, the tax payers, who pay for their destruction."

She said the centre looked after needy hounds from all over Wyre Forest, as well as some from Worcester and Stourbridge - many of which the RSPCA had contacted them about or had been picked up by the district council's dog warden.

"At the moment it costs us more than £2,000 a month to look after dogs in our care and we rely heavily on donations," she said. "Like a lot of small charities, we don't have our own kennels so we pay fees for the dogs in our care at various kennels."

Mrs Watts, who is also a trainee driving instructor, said the centre began a sponsor-a-dog appeal four months ago .

"It enables people to pay as little as a pound a week and this regular income can be topped up with fund-raising events."

Anyone who would like to help can contact Mrs Watts on 01562 636535, Mary Braim on 01299 825287 or Barbara Morris on 01562 744909.