WILDLIFE services are “struggling to cope” with avian flu pushing underfunded organisations to “breaking point”, the founder of one of the county’s biggest wildlife hospitals has said.

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) and other animal welfare charities have been overwhelmed with casualties.

Trevor Weeks MBE, founder of WRAS, warned that thousands of animals could end up suffering if they are unable to expand to bigger and better facilities.

The spread of avian flu has made the situation worse, with restrictions on gulls in place to prevent the spread of the disease.

Mr Weeks said: “The situation is at a crisis point in East Sussex now and birds are suffering as a result as people struggle to get help for casualties.

“People are giving up trying to get help for abandoned, sick, injured and orphaned gulls because it is becoming so hard to get help.”

He also said that the closure and reduced service of other wildlife organisations in the county has put increased pressure on their already strained services.

As a result, the WRAS has taken in more than three times their normal number of casualties so far this year.

“Wildlife casualties are suffering because the resources are falling far short of what is needed", he added.

“We are getting call after call from people with sick and injured birds at the moment and everyone, including some veterinary centres, are struggling to cope.

“We are trying our best to compensate for the loss of facilities in the county as much as we can, but it all comes at a cost which is already eating into our funds.”

Mr Weeks said that staff and volunteers at the service have been reduced to tears by the desperate situation and have faced rude and aggressive calls from people seeking help.

His comments come as wild birds across Sussex have been infected with bird flu, with cases reported in Rother, Brighton and Hove, Adur and Bexhill.

Monitoring, surveillance and protection zones have been set up in parts of the county following confirmed cases among captive birds.

The WRAS has plans to build a new casualty centre in the heart of East Sussex, with the aim of becoming one of the biggest wildlife hospitals in the country.

The service needs to raise £150,000 to help procure land and start its next step in establishing the new centre.

Mr Weeks said: “WRAS is not at risk of closing down but, if we don’t manage to purchase land and build bigger and better facilities, thousands of casualties are going to suffer and end up just being euthanised at local vets practices or just left because it is so hard to find help and no one has the space to look after them.”

Those looking to donate to the WRAS can do so on their website.