AN animal welfare charity shop will close its doors for good today as organisers declared: "We cannot afford to stay open."

PAWS Weymouth and Portland Animal Welfare Society is shutting following a difficult trading period.

The charity, which was set up roughly 40 years ago, had a shop in the Colwell Centre for 27 years before it moved to its current spot on St Thomas Street six years ago.

Lionel Knibbs, chairman of the charity, said: "It is so sad that we have to close down today but the shop is just too expensive to keep open.

"We were shut between March and July because of the pandemic so we had no income whatsoever during that period and we have not been able to make that back.

"For the last little while we have only been making enough money to pay the staff their wages and for the overheads of the shop which is not why people donate to us - they donate because they want to help animals.

"The potential threat of a second lockdown has led me to make the decision that we cannot afford to stay open."

PAWS employed two part-time members of staff to work in the shop, both of whom have been made redundant.

The charity will continue to run and organisers have invested in two caravans which they hope to rent out to holidaymakers visiting Weymouth as a way of earning some money to support local animals in need.

Mr Knibbs said: "We have had so many customers coming in and saying how sorry they are that we are closing.

"It is the people of Weymouth and Portland that have kept us going for so long and, through their donations, we have been able to help many animals so we are very sad to shut our doors."

Mr Knibbs added: "This is a sad day but I am so grateful for everyone in the town who has supported us for so long."

To find out all the latest information about the charity, visit the PAWS Weymouth and Portland Animal Welfare Society Facebook page.