A HALESOWEN pet rescue is appealing for loving homes for three of its older residents.

Pepper's Pet Rescue wants to find forever homes for its three more mature cats - ginger Charlie, who is around ten-years-old, tabby Ellie, aged 12 and British Blue Pippin, who is 11.

The family-run not-for-profit centre on the Lodgefield Estate was started last year by Sophie and Andrew Pepper, who are both nurses, while they were at home as their three-year-old son Toby recovered from surgery to a cyst on his brain.

Despite having an incredible 22 pets of their own and two children - Toby, now four and Lucy, aged seven - in their spare time they run the rescue and take in unwanted and injured animals.

Based at their home on the Lodgefield estate, the family has five purpose-built pens built by Andrew, 43, to house an array of rescued animals alongside their own pets - five dogs, four cats, four snakes, a lizard, a rat, a tortoise, four birds, two ferrets and two fish tanks.

Sophie, who runs Pepper's with a team of volunteers including foster carers, said all three cats have lovely natures.

The 31-year-old said: "We want to find perfect homes for these three.

"These are our eldest cats, all super friendly and affectionate.

"Charlie and Ellie would prefer quieter homes, but Pippin is the most chilled cat ever and would settle anywhere!"

Sophie also appealed for owners to get their cats neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies - she said female cats can get pregnant at just four months old.

The centre which has rehomed an amazing 85 animals already - has an array of pets needing homes.

All animals are vet checked and cats are vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, de flead and wormed. Home checks are carried out and new owners sign an adoption agreement that states should the animal need rehoming again, they come back to Peppers.

Pepper's Pet Rescue has a Facebook page and can be e mailed at pepperspetrescue@hotmail.com.