SHE has taken over her own house, her parents' garden centre, their house - and now Mel James is setting up shop in Workington town centre.

Since she was old enough to care, Mel has loved animals and her only problem is she cannot turn away a stray or injured animal whatever their size or kind.

She eventually formed Ani-Mel Haven - a sanctuary for hurt and lost animals.

She sold books and bric-a-back from her parents' Bank Mill Nursery at Mawbray.

However, the garden centre, like other businesses, was closed during the pandemic.

The customers stopped coming which meant, of course, that the income she did make from these table top sales, also stopped.

What did not stop was the animals who were brought to her in need of care.

The expanding menagerie also means a growing need for homes of some kind.

"I need so much to house the animals properly," she said.

When the old Your Move shop, near Marks & Spencer, came up for rent, Mel grabbed it.

She blithely says she intends to work in it herself, "in my spare time."

What time that will be remains something of a mystery for a woman who spends so much time feeding,cleaning cages, running to vets (another cost) and generally taking of everything from hens to seagulls, cats and birds and horses and goats - and even a fox that she rescued when it was a baby.

Times and Star: HAPPINESS: Contentment for Mel James is being with her beloved animals HAPPINESS: Contentment for Mel James is being with her beloved animals

Admitting some sort of defeat, however, she said:"I do have some volunteers lined up to help me - and I would love to find some others."

She has taken in some animals in dramatic circumstances, like the time a mother duck led her ducklings to the top of a waterfall and flew off. Most of the ducklings did not survive but one was found and taken to Mel James.

Then there were the 4,000 hens which had stopped laying and were going to be slaughtered.

With only 24 hours to go, the race was on and a desperate appeal was put on social media.

“We got donations from all over this country and all over the world - even Barbados and the United States. We had the entire amount within 36 hours.”

It was literally the eleventh hour when Mel had enough to buy the hens and save them from death!

These are just two of many stories.

Animal lovers can help Mel though her Ani-Mel Haven Facebook page or by supporting her shop when it finally opens.