A VITAL service for injured birds in the borough is searching for land of its own to secure the rescue's future.

Every Feather Bird Rescue was founded by Stephanie Williams and her sister Samantha in 2011.

As the rescue approaches its ten-year anniversary, the pair are trying to raise £10,000 to buy their own land to help even more birds.

Initially only rescuing pigeons, the duo have expanded over the last decade, now helping over 1,000 birds a year.

Stephanie said: "I can't believe it, it's just flown by.

"We never thought it would get as big as it has, when we started, no one else would take pigeons so we thought we'd only have two or three at a time.

"It's grown quite a lot since then, last year we had just over a thousand birds.

"Before Greenmount shut last Summer, we normally had 200-300 birds a year, it's shot up in the last year."

Every Feather became the only functioning bird rescue in Bolton after the closure of Greenmount Wild Bird Rescue, in Tottington, and the downsizing of Horwich Wildlife Hospital.

The pair cover the whole of Greater Manchester, and have travelled as far as Birmingham and the Lake District to do rescues.

Although the siblings have received many kind offers from people willing to have aviaries put up in their back gardens, they want their own space to give the rescue more security and a chance to expand.

Stephanie said: "At the moment we have two sites but they belong to friends and neighbours so there's no security or permanence.

"If they move or want their land back for any reason then we'd have to go.

"It would be a little bit of a dream come true if we could get the land.

"Part of my dream is to have an education centre there, it's kind of amazing how little people know and there's no education there.

"Getting some land to put up more birds and teach people would be fantastic."

The pair have set up a fundraiser at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/stephanie-williams-59, and have raised over £1,000 so far, and are happy to hear from people who can help with their search.

Stephanie added: "The main factor in a spot is that it's something we could use indefiniately.

"Whether it's a site that we peppercorn rent or buy, we need something with no danger and no reason we have to move.

"We've had a few offers from people who could put an aviary in their garden – which is wonderful – but it would leave us in the same position.

"A lot of people have done small fundraisers, bake sales at work or car boot sales, no amount is too small, it all adds up."