AN evicted animal sanctuary owner has left her former farm five days after barricading herself inside the building.

Paula Campbell had been in the farmhouse at Milkup Bank Farm in Willington, County Durham, since about 1pm on Friday.

But she appeared shortly after 4pm today (Wednesday, April 2), accompanied with her father, who arrived a short time earlier to convince her to leave.

Ms Campbell was granted permission to return to the farm, from where she ran the Rainbow Ark Animal Sanctuary, to collect personal belongings, but she barricaded herself in, along with two other people, using the furniture.

More than 350 animals were taken from the sanctuary after the eviction earlier this year to other sanctuaries and charities around the country.