AN animal lover is hoping to raise around £5,000 to help six Turkish street dogs and cats travel to new homes in the UK.

Carol Holbrook, from Brompton-on-Swale, has been visiting Turkey for many years where she volunteers at local charity Animal Aid Fethiye.

She is now raising funds for flights, injections, blood tests and travel expenses for six animals to reach their new homes in the UK.

Mrs Holbrook said: “The six animals who need transporting to their new homes include two blind kittens named Mr Mouse and Miss Magoo, who were found next to a busy road, and will be rehomed by Animal Friends Catterick Garrison.

“Pointers In Need will be helping to rehome Rita, a pure bred pointer, who the owner threw out on the streets full of scabies and mange, and a home has been found in Richmond for Missie, a young collie cross.”

A deaf cat named Pixie and another abandoned cross canine named Elsa have homes to go to in Scotland.

She launched the fundraising appeal with a six-mile sponsored dog walk through Bolton, Carperby and Aysgarth, on November 25.

Along with others who adopted a street dog from Turkey, they completed the walk and raised more than £500.

Mrs Holbrook has been privately rescuing cats and dogs from the South-West area of Turkey for numerous years.

She is also a volunteer for Boxer Dog Rescue Northern England (BDRNE) who rescue dogs from the same area of Turkey.

She has been actively involved in the UK-based Animal Aid charity, and has successfully rehomed many dogs and cats, mostly in the Richmondshire area.

Mrs Holbrook added: “A foster home has to be found for the four months that the process takes.

“The transport company Turk Travel offer a door to door collection and delivery service but they only take ten animals per month, so you have to book well in advance and the journey takes five days by road.

“The fundraising has to start immediately as injections are needed. It’s really hard as we need around £1,000 per animal.”

She is organising a fundraising event at Richmond Town Hall in the New Year when two celebrity mediums from Scotland will be hosting a psychic night.

For more information on how to donate to help the six animals reach their homes contact carol@boxerdogrescue.co.uk