Officials at a cat rescue sanctuary said they were overwhelmed with the support from the public after hitting the halfway mark to save the centre from closure.

Staff and volunteers at Feline Care in East Harling, near Thetford, were told in July that they needed to find �70,000 by the end of September to keep it open.

It comes after charity trustees in Sussex decided that they could no longer cope with the responsibility of their Norfolk branch and gave officials three months to raise the money to buy the centre.

Donations and fundraising has meant that sanctuary supporters have already surpassed the �35,000 mark and staff hope that an open day at the end of the month will be a celebration and not a last-minute fundraising push.

Molly Farrar, who runs the centre that houses up to 140 cats at a time, said she was 'hopeful' they could reach the �70,000 target in time.

'I can not believe how generous people have been. We have had donations ranging from �2 to �10,000 and I am hoping there is enough people out there that still want to make a donation. Now that we have reached the halfway mark, there is little fear that we are not going to make it.'

'Officially we have been closed to admissions, but realistically we have been admitting and we are still running at full capacity and putting cats on the waiting list,' she said.

The rescue centre, which rehomes around 300 cats a year and also provides a valuable neutering service, also has a charity shop at Attleborough, which would shut if the sanctuary closed.

A charity quiz will be held at the East Harling Sports and Social Club on Friday between 7.30pm and 10.30pm.

A fundraising fashion show will be held at the Attleborough Snooker Centre on Friday, September 9 between 7.00pm and 10pm. Tickets are available from Trimmers on Defiant Precinct, Robert Kemp Cars on Haverscroft Industrial Estate and the Attleborough charity shop.

And an open day will take place at the centre in Roudham Road, East Harling, from midday to 3pm on Sunday, September 25.

Cheques can be made payable to Feline Care and sent to Feline Care, Roudham Road, East Harling, Norwich, NR16 2QN. To donate visit the website at www.felinecare.org.uk

Join the support group at www.facebook.com/savefelinecare