East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) has introduced drastic spending restrictions and is building a new base for surgery and treatment of sick and injured wild animals.

Being built at Horsebridge Vets, the aim is to have a base to work from where the charity is enabled to reduce the vets bills, medication costs and travel expenditure.

Trevor Weeks, who has been running East Sussex WRAS for 22 years and began by paying vet bills and costs from his own pocket, said demand is rocketing.

He said, "The good news is that there is a solution to our financial situation and with the help of animal-lovers across East Sussex and beyond, we hope that we can get this new unit up and running and reduce down the huge veterinary bills which are currently crippling us — so please, please help.

"We have spent £7,000 on having the building constructed, but now we need £15,000 to equip the unit so that we can save money in the long run and bring our monthly vets bills right down.

"On average it costs WRAS £65 to be on call for and respond to each casualty."

WRAS will start to deal with the general maintenance of casualties, reducing vet bills and trips to rescue centres, once the unit is complete.

The charity and its volunteers don't get any government or local authority funding, or any grants from charities such as the RSPB and RSPCA which sometimes ask WRAS to attend incidents.

It is run entirely by donations, which the charity is now in desperate need of to make a success at this turning point.

Over the last 22 years it is estimated that Trevor and the other WRAS rescuers have helped more than 35,000 casualties and all of people who have been distressed and very upset when finding these casualties.

Mr Weeks said, "Some people see an animal charity and won't give, but at WRAS we help people too.

"We have numerous letters from people who have called us out and been so relieved that we have been able to help them and make them feel better as a result — so please don't dismiss us as an animal charity, we help support humans too.

"Although it is not within our remit to do so, we have also helped people with pets when no one else has been willing to."

Mr Weeks started rescuing casualties around a full time job, dealing with less than 100 casualties a year.

WRAS is now a registered charity and last year received 2,210 calls for help.

The count this year has already reached 760 and the busy season is fast approaching.

Over the past 12 months East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) has seen a big increase in the number of fox cubs rescues from six to 18.

Last year WRAS responded to 45 deer call-outs, and volunteers have already attended that number so far this year. During

2006 WRAS rescued 86 swans and so far this year, it has rescued 56 — much more than this time last year.

Cheques and standing orders — which helps the charity budget for the future — can be arranged by writing to Peter Mortimer, WRAS Treasurer, Ash Cottage, 73 Friday Street, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN23 8AY.