THE North-East's only sanctuary for abused and abandoned reptiles has had to close a quarter of its facilities because of a lack of funds.

Staff at The Reptile Trust in Burnopfield, near Stanley, County Durham, had considered a 50 per cent shutdown to stave off the crisis, but were saved by donations from the public.

The charity has struggled after being inundated with about 280 exotic creatures over the Christmas period.

In order to cope, the trust has managed to find houses for more than 20 reptiles, which allowed it to close a bank of reptile enclosures, to cut running costs.

Trust chief executive Peter Heatchcote said that the charity had been forced to pay out nearly £600 a week during the past month just on drugs for hundreds of sick animals.

He said that many people who received the animals for Christmas did not know how to look after them properly and dozens of other snakes, iguanas and other reptiles had been found abandoned as people went away for the festive season.

Mr Heathcote said: "We are a national charity and are trying to raise cash nationally, but it is the local people who have come through for us.

"We only pay two staff and they have been working for free. All the other volunteers have been coming in and doing work way beyond the call of duty to help us keep going.

"I would say to the public that only 11 per cent of the £70,000 we need a year to keep going goes on administration and wages. The rest goes directly to helping animals.

"Other charities consider they are doing well if 20 per cent goes on administration."

The charity, which opened a hospital in November, managed to soften the impact of the financial crisis after receiving an anonymous donation of £100 every day in the week leading up to Christmas.

The Reptile Trust can be contacted at Busty Bank, Burnopfield NE16 6NF, or by phone at (01207) 271766