A SEDGLEY animal sanctuary has hit back at devastating claims it is an “overgrown, half closed eyesore".

Brockswood looks after hundreds of unwanted and sick animals but it has come under fire from UKIP members, who say the site is in a "sorry state" and improvements should be made to attract more tourists to the attraction.

Criticism has come from Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge, who said constituents have contacted him as they want to see the Catholic Lane sanctuary restored to its former glory.

He said: "What used to be a very good attraction, bringing tourists to the area is now closed for six months of the year.

“To my mind, either the sanctuary should be forced to restore the place, or a new tenant should be sought with a vision to maximise a great opportunity."

Shaun Keasey, UKIP’s representative for the Sedgley ward, added: “I visited with my mom and young nephews last summer to be greeted with an overgrown, half closed eyesore.

“I am sure many other Sedgley residents would join me in helping. However, if the current management cannot achieve this they should make way for other that can."

Site manager Neil Swann said he was "gutted" by the comments, adding: "People do not realise just how bad the site was when we took it on and the scale of the work involved in bringing it back to condition it was in 25 years ago that we all remember so fondly,"

He said thousands of pounds had been spent over the last few years to try and bring it up to scratch - including £20,000 on new paddock fencing and a £50,000 investment to renovate some of the buildings on site and create two classrooms for the benefit of students studying animal care.

Mr Swann said although the sanctuary is closed to visitors in winter, it was for good reasons: "The land is clay based which means the site can become very muddy.

"Also the close-down period allows us to concentrate on maintenance and making improvements that would be difficult to do whilst open to the public."

During this winter close-down period, the eight staff have rebuilt one of the site's largest aviaries and a unit that houses more than 60 turtles.

By the time the sanctuary reopens at Easter, renovation work on the rabbit runs will have been completed and plans will have been put in place for a complete overhaul of the stables.

Mr Swann continued: "The lease Brockswood currently has is a self-repairing lease which means that we are responsible for finding the funding all of the site repairs ourselves.”

Although the improvements have gone unnoticed by some, visitors to the site have been full of praise according to Mr Swann.

He said: "Year on year we get more and more positive feedback and the vast majority of people comment on the improvements we have made and some come and see us two or three times during open season.

“We are 100 per cent committed getting the site back to its former glory - our aim has always been to renovate the site but our primary function is as an animal sanctuary.

“To say there has been no work done or investment in the site is quite frankly ludicrous and completely inaccurate.

"We appreciate the level of work that we have to do, we are not daft but it's really upsetting when people make comments like that when they don't have the decency to come and talk to us."