Bear appeal reaches £50k

A CAMPAIGN to rescue three mistreated circus bears has reached £50,000.

Almost £5000 flooded in over the Christmas period, bringing the total raised to £50,000 in four months by the Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, which is spearheading the appeal.

However, another £30,000 still has to be raised to reach the £80,000 target to transport and rehome Suzy, Carmen and Peggy from a cramped holding centre in Belgium to a specially-built enclosure at the zoo.

The campaign had initially hoped to save the trio in time for Christmas but didn’t make the target, which has been pushed back to the first week in March.

Zoo owner Brian Curran said: “We desperately need to raise the remaining £30,000.”