A TESCO employee whose dog died last year spearheaded an appeal for Bleakholt Animal Sanct-uary — collecting items worth more than £360 in five days.

Melissa Parry, aged 21, has volunteered at the sanctuary one day a week since her dog Lily died of natural causes.

She was given permission to hold the collection at the store in Woodfield Retail Park in Peel Way, where she works.

The toys and food for the animals were boosted with cash donations to help with the sanctuary’s running costs at its Edenfield premises.

Ms Parry, who lives in Ramsbottom, said: “I love helping out at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary — it’s one of those charities which doesn’t get the publicity it deserves.

“This donation is my way of giving them that publicity and thanking the people there for the help they’ve given me.”

She added: “I never expected to raise this much, not at all. It was a shot in the dark.

“The public’s generosity was amazing, it really did shock me. There were people coming and putting bagloads in. I want to thank everyone who donated for being so giving.”

Tesco decorated a trolley for people to make their donations and made tannoy announcements.

  • Donations can be made to the sanctuary by visiting justgiving.com/bleakholtanimalsanctuary