FIRE has ripped through an animal centre killing pets being looked after there.

Owners Mike Webb and Debbie Grew have been left devastated after the blaze at the Sheppey Animal Rescue Centre at Sunset Close, Eastchurch, near Sheerness.

The fire killed four chinchillas, three parrots, five hamsters and four mice. A cat, Bella, was among the animals to escape the inferno at the sanctuary the couple set up 15 months ago.

It was the barking of the two dogs, Ben, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Rottweiler Roxy, with her two pups, Sidney and Johnny, that first alerted the couple at about 5am on New Year's Eve.

Mr Webb, former landlord of The Crown pub at Sheerness, said two main buildings and the aviary were destroyed and all the animals inside.

He added: “Fortunately we had moved the rabbits just two weeks ago into another shed and they and the chickens and ducks were OK."

Firefighters confirmed that the blaze was started by an electrical fault, possibly caused by a wire being chewed through.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S SHEERNESS TIMES GUARDIAN