Wildlife rescue in volunteer plea

The wildlife rescue service often has to deal with injured swans

More volunteers are wanted by a Sussex animal rescue service to cope with increasing numbers of incidents.

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue (Wras) said 2004 was its busiest year and it now wants to set up an on-call system for volunteers to attend incidents.

This means three more rescuers are needed from the Eastbourne, Bexhill, Seaford and Lewes areas, the Wras said.

Training would be given on the job and volunteers would have to be available at least two days a week.

Reduce suffering

Trevor Weeks, from Wras, said: "The hours may be long, but you can be based from home and get on with other activities during the day as long as you are willing to drop what you are doing quickly to attend an incident."

Any person aged over 18 can become a rescuer, Mr Weeks said, and no previous experience was required.

It is essential for volunteers, who would be on call for10 hours a day, to have their own vehicle, he said.

The aim of the Wras is to reduce suffering and it deals with a variety of animals from small birds to swans, mice and badgers.