CREATURES great and small will be getting their feathers preened and their fur fluffed this Saturday ready to greet visitors to the Vale Wildlife Centre.

The foot and mouth crisis closed the gates at the wildlife centre for 19 weeks sending vital funds plummeting.

Now staff are appealing for as many visitors as possible to flock to the centre to try to make up for a £22,000 loss in takings.

Manager Jeff Wood said: "The visitors' centre, which supports all the sick and injured animals at Vale Wildlife Rescue, Beckford, generated nothing during the foot and mouth crisis, but we were still having to care for and feed all our animals.

"The charity has only managed to survive this crisis due to the general public's enormous support for our shop in Evesham. We hope to keep this open for as long as possible to try to recoup some of the enormous losses. In the meantime we are looking forward to opening the gates to our visitors' centre again this Saturday.

"All the animals and birds look great and we hope as many people as possible will pour into our wildlife centre at Evesham Country Park to see them once more."

Entrance fees remain the same as last year at £2.50 for adults, £2 for children up to 14 and senior citizens, with children under five going free.

The centre has been opened following advice from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Staff will be asking for co-operation from visitors to adhere to the department's safety guidelines to protect animals' welfare.