A CAT rescuer has said the next few months will be “make or break” for her under-threat charity despite receiving financial support.

Moggies Cat Rescue, based in Darwen, has received over £1,000 in donations in the last two weeks.

The support has come following a story in the Lancashire Telegraph in which the charity boss said Moggies could close without financial help.

Maureen Savage, who runs the charity at her Stansfield Street home, said she has been “overwhelmed” by the donations but says the next few months will still be critical for the charity’s future.

She said: “The response has been brilliant and the messages have been so encouraging and make you think it’s all worth it.”

The 73-year-old has helped rescue thousands of cats and kittens from across East Lancashire, including Clitheroe, Burnley, Colne and Nelson, for more than 20 years.

The pensioner has been in and out of hospital over the last three-and-a-half years for cancer treatment but is now on the road to recovery.

During that time Maureen has relied on several insurance policies to keep the charity going and was running out of funds.

Before the article was published on February 7, just £160 had been raised, but now over £1,700 has been donated through cheques and the charity’s GoFundMe page.

The mum-of-two said: “It’s just overwhelming with the donations and the messages that we have received. Some people have been putting in hundreds of pounds to help us.”

Maureen’s friend, Alison Turner, who set up the online fundraiser, said on the GoFundMe page: “We are thrilled and totally overwhelmed.

“After so many years of Maureen fundraising, practically single handedly, she is literally in floods of tears in reaching £1,000.”

The money raised so far will help to pay vets bills at the end of the month and in March.

However, Maureen, who is currently looking after 14 adult cats, has said more work needs to be done.

She said: “We hope people will still keep donating because Moggies still needs to go on. It’s still make or break.”

To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/moggiescatrescue.

Cheques can be made payable to Moggies Cat Rescue or cash brought into the Lancashire Telegraph office in Church Street, Blackburn, and ask for Wendy Pearson.