A Shipley horse sanctuary has appealed for help in re-homing 30 horses it is expecting from a struggling sanctuary in Doncaster.

Diane French, of Roleystone Horse Sanctuary, Wrose, said Options Equine Sanctuary had asked if they could donate 30 of their horses to the Shipley sanctuary as it was running out of money.

Options Equine Sanctuary, run by Tina Duke, originally from Clayton, Bradford, has in the past homed up to 50 horses, but currently finds itself in a difficult financial situation. Miss French said the price of food had risen dramatically recently due to the bad weather, leaving sanctuaries across the country struggling to survive.

She said: “She asked if we could help her re-home about 30 horses and ponies.

“If we can’t get a lot of them re-homed then the old ones will have to be put down, because the other sanctuaries won’t take the older horses.

“If the worst comes to the worst and we can’t get them re-homed, then we would have to take them in, but we are full so we would have to put them out on livery and basically pay their keep, which would cost an awful lot of money.” Miss French said she could understand the Doncaster sanctuary’s strife, as Roleystone had experienced rising costs of hay leaf supplies.

“Apparently they are charging £50 a bale down there.”

Miss French said Options was also in a more isolated location, meaning volunteers were more difficult to come by.

The first two of the 30 new horses were expected to arrive at Roleystone yesterday.

She said the rest were expected to be transported to the Shipley sanctuary over the next few weeks.

Miss French said: “It’s a matter of transport as well, getting people to be able to move them for us.”

Anybody who would like to help can contact Roleystone Horse Sanctuary on 07789 247209.