Baby red squirrels saved from Hurricane Katia

The five week-old squirrels were found in the aftermath of the gale-force winds that hit the UK last week, with their mother nowhere to be seen.

They were taken to a veterinary surgery in Alnwick before being delivered to the animal welfare centre at Ulgham near Morpeth, where volunteers now feed them goat's milk every three hours and will continue to look after them through winter.

Sanctuary owner Kim Olson said: "At this time of year the squirrels would be collecting food for winter but even if we released them in November they wouldn't have enough time.

"We're planning to release them gradually back into the wild next spring at our special unit, which is at a secret location in Northumberland."

The family-run sanctuary, which cares for unwanted pets and farm animals as well as injured wildlife, was established by Mrs Olson and her husband in 1993.

She said: "We're probably the largest animal sanctuary in the whole of the North East. We look after so much wildlife; we've got a badger cub, young foxes and injured birds of prey."

With running costs totalling £70,000 a year proving tougher and tougher to meet, the Olsens depend on public donations to care for unwanted or injured animals that are brought in to them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8778720/Baby-red-squirrels-saved-from-Hurricane-Katia.html