A BROMYARD animal sanctuary has come up with a sponsor-a-goat scheme as an alternative Christmas present for animal lovers.

For £5, people can sponsor any one of 31 goats at The Goatsgalore Animal Sanctuary, which they can then rename if they want.

Jill Rollo, who owns the sanctuary, said she did not mind changing the names she had given the goats, as she knew them all anyway.

"It's like if you had 11 children. You know each individual child," she said.

The sanctuary has been running officially for about a year and plans to register as a charity in the new year. She said the sanctuary costs around £1,200 a year to run and that she aims to raise £500 through fundraising next year.

Many of the goats are male and have been rescued from slaughter as the majority of people want nanny goats, which do not have horns and are less aggressive. A few have been mistreated or have become unwanted.

Mrs Rollo offers permanent homes to all the animals at the sanctuary, which also has two horses, two sheep, poultry, battery hens and ducks.

Anyone who would like to sponsor a goat can contact Jill on 01885 483724.