A wildlife centre that boasts Hollywood actor Johnny Depp as a patron is on the brink of imminent closure unless it can find funds to cover growing costs.

The Folly Wildlife Rescue Centre in Broadwater Forest near Tunbridge Wells will be forced to reduce its opening hours by the end of September and may have to stop entirely by the end of the year if an influx of cash is not found.

The charity treats more than 3,500 animals a year in its veterinary and X-ray unit on a six-acre site.

It has looked after animals for more than 30 years but with rising costs, the wildlife hospital now needs between £20,000-£30,000 a month to operate.

In 2022, Folly’s was given a boost when actor Johnny Depp visited the hospital while on holiday after his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard had finished. He is now a patron of the farm.

After his visit, the group’s social media following grew with Instagram fans going from less than 6,000 to 26,000 in half a day.

The charity has been given a lifeline thanks to a case of beer that once belonged to Beatles guitarist Sir Paul McCartney.

Patron Sandra Beck, and widow of rock star Jeff who was guitarist for The Yardbirds, offered the 12 bottles of Old Stinkhorn Organic Ale to the charity after it was given to her late husband as a gift by Paul.

The charity hopes to auction it off as part of emergency fundraising measures.

Other active supporters of the charity include The Kinks star Dave Davies and TV wine critic and personality Jilly Goolden.

The farm is also going to be featured on Alan Titchmarsh’s Gardening Club on ITV in early November.

Folly Wildlife Rescue receives no funding from any local authority or lottery grant and relies entirely on public donations, grants, legacies and fundraising activities.

Members of the public can support their work by visiting justgiving.com/campaign/savefolly or at follywildliferescue.org.uk/donatenow

Every year, thousands of wildlife casualties are treated after being injured in accidents involving some form of human activity, such as entanglement in plastic netting, fencing or fishing line, road traffic accidents, injury caused by garden machinery, poisoning, shooting or attack by domestic pets.

The Trust specialises in the hand-rearing of mammals, including hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, mice, rabbits and even deer, as well as nestling and fledgling birds of all species although the hospital has taken in more exotic non-native species in its time, including a racoon and a vulture.