LONELY Nancy the Staffordshire bull terrier just wants a quiet life with a caring owner.

The ten-year-old is one of hundreds of cats and dogs from Bolton's Destitute Animal Shelter who is still desperately looking for a new home.

Volunteers will be out on the streets tomorrow for the organisation's annual Flag Day in a bid to raise much-needed cash for the shelter.

The shelter, in Northolt Drive, Great Lever, cares for hundreds of dogs and cats every year but needs thousands of pounds to do so.

Poor Nancy has endured a harrowing last six months after thieves whisked her away inside a van this summer.

Staff from the Northholt Drive centre in Great Lever were unloading animals from the vehicle at the shelter in Northholt Drive, Great Lever, when the van was stolen.

Police believed that the thieves did not realise Nancy, who was suffering from a chest infection and pneumonia, was in the back of the van.

The terrier was recovered the following day in Rochdale still inside the abandoned van, apparently none the worse for her ordeal.

She was first discovered in Farnworth wandering the streets. Shelter staff believe she was left homeless when her owner died.

The money raised at the weekend will go towards neutering the animals, microchipping, giving vaccinations or any other medical expenses.

The centre is hoping the collection day will net them more than £2,000.

As well as wanting volunteers to help out tomorrow, the shelter also needs people to allow their charity shop at Nortex Mill in Chorley Old Road to open for longer hours.

If anyone can help out, telephone the shelter on 01204 526486. If you can help the collection meet other volunteers outside the Natwest Bank, on Deansgate, at 8am.

Factfile

From January to the end of the July this year the shelter has taken in 248 dogs and 133 cats.

Of these, 166 dogs have been adopted, 60 have been reclaimed and seven have gone to other rescue centres. Of those, 100 have been neutered and 197 microchipped.

During that time, 141 cats have found new homes and two have been claimed. Of those, 37 cats have been neutered.

At the moment, the shelter has 38 dogs and 27 cats all looking for new homes.