LAWYERS acting on behalf of an evicted animal sanctuary owner have launched a legal appeal against the court order authorising her farm to be seized by bailiffs.

Paula Campbell, who ran the Rainbow Ark Animal Sanctuary in Willington, County Durham, was evicted three weeks ago after long running financial difficulties with Redstone Mortgage Company.

Ms Campbell and her supporters claimed the eviction notice, which had been issued by a court in Newcastle, was illegal, although Redstone said all procedures had been correctly followed and the notice was properly enforced.

Oliver Dykes, a director and solicitor for Strafford Law, has now submitted an appeal to that court order.

He said: “We are appealing the decision which in effect gave the bailiffs the authority to kick her out.

“Paula made an application to the court to suspend the eviction warrant in January but that was dismissed by a judge.

“We are putting an appeal in on that on the grounds that we do not believe all the information was properly assessed before that decision was made.”

The appeal could take up to three months to be heard but Ms Campbell said she will carry on the fight to regain her home and sanctuary at Milkup Bank Farm.

Most of the animals have now been taken in by other sanctuaries while the RSPCA is still holding on two horses and a cat which were seized on welfare grounds.

Ms Campbell also said she has received strong support with sales of her children’s book about Norah the Chicken picking up after the eviction made national headlines.