Motorway Gridlocked By Dogs' Home Donors

Well-wishers have been warned to stay away from the sister site of the Manchester Dogs' Home after people trying to donate to the charity caused gridlock on the M6.

Staff at the Cheshire Dogs' Home are asking people who wish to provide gifts to instead visit the centre next weekend.

"At the moment the response has been so great Cheshire Dogs Home is gridlocked, so till further notice please be patient and stay away from our Cheshire home," a charity spokesman said.

More than £1.2m had already been pledged to the charity online in less than 48 hours after 50 dogs were killed as the Manchester site was burnt down in a suspected arson attack.

On its Twitter account, Manchester & Cheshire Dogs' Home added: "We've gridlocked the M6 & Warrington, can donations now be done next w/end, police concerned with H&S (health and safety) wow, we've stopped the M6.

"Sandbach Services southbound will take donations to ease the M6 traffic, pls use if possible."

The charity also thanked those who have already made a donation.

Detectives are still working to determine the full facts behind the blaze, but a 15-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of arson has now been released on bail.

Lisa Graham from the charity said the local community has always supported the centre.

"We saw that community out in droves. We saw them coming out with things you wouldn't even expect," she said.

"To think that for the length of time we've served this community and the many generations we've been serving this community and that one of them would come and do this to us is sickening.

"We had staff here last night that were coming out of the kennels in tears with dogs they knew. There were dogs in there that they cared for that they lost."

Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home opened in 1893 and has given a home to more than one million dogs.