A former Castle Rushen High School pupil, who is the acting chief executive officer of Australia RSPCA, is appealing for aid for wildlife affected by bushfires.

Bidda Jones, who grew up in Port St Mary and went to Rushen Primary School, is working hard to look after animals in her new home of Braidwood, Australia.

She said: ’The fires are just awful. They came through our forest at the beginning of December and while our house and garden was saved, we are living in a ravaged landscape.

’So many animals have been affected. It is just mind boggling. We are feeding about 12 kangaroos and wallabies that are coming to our dams to drink, but that is such a small number compared to what has been lost.’

Since arriving in Australia in 1996, she and her family have lived on a 1,500 acre property listed as a conservation area. It’s part of a bigger area with many species of flora, kangaroos, wallabies, reptiles and other animals.

The mother-of-two is asking people in the Isle of Man who want to help wildlife to donate to the Native Animal Rescue Group (NARG) in Braidwood, a town with a Manx connection.

Since 1853, Maddrells have been living in the town with an original homestead once being called ’Mona’.

NARG is providing kangaroo pellets, hay, chaff and bird seed for people to feed starving wildlife. It also has trained wildlife carers taking care of injured or orphaned animals. Search for the charity here: www.narg.asn.au/donate/