THE co-founder of a sanctuary which has rescued hundreds of ill-treated donkeys over two decades, Wendy McLaren, has died aged 74.

Wendy McLaren set up the Island Farm Donkey Sanctuary in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell with her husband John in 1997.

The animal lover devoted her time to the farm which has supported hundreds of ill-treated and abused donkeys as well as a range of other animals.

The sanctuary also has a riding school for disabled people and became a registered charity in 2000.

Wendy Elizabeth McLaren (nee Alford) was born on November 5, 1942 at Wellhouse, near Hermitage in Berkshire to parents Fred Alford, a maintenance man and butler on a large country estate near Newbury, and Mary, who worked on the same estate.

She grew up in the Berkshire village with her two sisters Valerie and Susan and went to Hermitage Primary School from 1947 and then Shaw House for Girls in Newbury.

After leaving school at 15 she took a job as a sales assistant with the supermarket chain International Stores.

She met her future husband John McLaren at a dance in Marslton Club - in a hamlet near Hermitage - and they married in March 1963, the year of the big freeze.

John worked as a gamekeeper in the area and the couple had two sons, Stuart in 1965 and Neil in 1969.

They moved to Ewelme in Oxfordshire in the late 1960s where John worked for the Ministry of Agriculture.

Wendy helped John launch a garden machinery business, working as a secretary and accountant, and purchased Island Farm in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell in the early 1980s when the business had outgrown its Crowmarsh home.

In 1997 they launched the Island Farm Donkey Sanctuary from humble beginnings with Wendy, as co-founder, intimately involved in its day to day running.

The sanctuary supported ill-treated or abused donkeys and became a registered charity in 2000 as she took on running the office and being the first point of contact for visitors.

A riding school for disabled people was also set up at the site.

After reaching retirement age she continued working through her love of meeting people and helping the donkeys at the farm - which can now look after more than 100 of them.

Wendy loved all animals but particularly dogs and bred Springer Spaniels - her favourite breed.

Although the sanctuary does not actively rescue other animals in recent years it has looked after a sheep, some goats, chickens, geese, ducks and a pot bellied pig called Percy.

She passed away unexpectedly from thrombosis on February 20 and is survived by husband John, sons Stuart and Neil, grandsons Thomas and Andrew and her sisters Valerie and Susan and their families.

Her funeral service will take place at St Agatha's Church in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell at 2pm on Wednesday March 8 and then afterwards at South Oxfordshire Crematorium.