THE FOUNDERS of an animal sanctuary say they are heartbroken after a mysterious fire tore through their buildings and killed their animals.

Great-grandparents David and Julia Vaughan said they could not believe their eyes Tuesday night when they saw smoke and flames rising from several of their stable buildings and sheds.

They fear the sanctuary may have been trageted by arsonists.

And the biggest blow to the couple, who have built Didcot Animal Sanctuary in Hill Farm with their bare hands, was the loss of two of their sheep, Simon and Buttercup.

Mr Vaughan said: “Julia hand reared those sheep.

“I can’t believe they are gone, it is just so horrible and cruel.

“The fire service think they died of smoke inhalation.

“Charlie, one of our ponies, was also in the same pen as them but he fortunately managed to escape.”

The couple, who live in Blewbury, said they had received a call at around 11pm and rushed over to the Appleford farm, where their 200 pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, cats and dogs and two turkeys reside.

They stayed on the scene until the early hours of Wednesday morning, as they watched fire crews put out the fire, which had spread to their cat pen and sheds that stored children’s toys and safety equipment.

Mr Vaughan added: “We do not have insurance because it was so much, we couldn’t afford it in the first place.

“If this was done deliberately because people have a problem with me come and speak to me about it.

“Do not attack poor, defenceless animals that have not done any harm to anybody.”

The fire comes just after the couple’s appeal for a new home following the owner of the site’s decision to sell the land.

Mr Vaughan added: “It was one thing trying to find a new home but now this.

“We’ve only got half a home left and we are going to have to do what we can now to repair what has happened.

“It is so heart breaking to see it just be reduced to nothing.”

Jess Rodgerson, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police, said: “We were called by the fire service at 11.40pm to reports of a fire at Hill Farm, Appleford, Abingdon.

“This is being treated as an unexplained fire and investigations are ongoing to establish the cause.

“Anyone with any information relating to this incident is asked to call 101 quoting reference 1693 (14/2) number.”

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has not yet identified the cause of the fire.

Martin Crabtree, a spokesman for the service, said: “Crews from Didcot and Wheatley attended and used a hose reel, main jet and water carrier.

“Three outbuildings and one caravan were destroyed.”

If you are able to help the sanctuary re-build its buildings contact: didcotanimalsanctuary@gmail.com