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Charity couple move apart to care for animals

Kate Bradbrook
BBC News, Northamptonshire
Kate Bradbrook/BBC A man and woman wearing branded T-shirts stand in front of gates at the entrance to an animal sanctuary.Kate Bradbrook/BBC
Roy and Annie Marriott are now living separately since expanding their charity

A married couple who run an animal sanctuary say they are now living separately, due to its expansion.

Animals in Need, based at Little Irchester, near Wellingborough, has been given the use of an additional 23 acres (nine hectares) of land in the village of Hollowell, also in Northamptonshire.

The sheep, goats, pigs and ponies have already been moved.

Founder Roy Marriott has remained at Pine Tree Farm, while his wife Annie will look after animals at the new premises.

Kate Bradbrook/BBC Woman in black t-shirt smiles in front of five bar gate. The background is a field of sheep and pigs.Kate Bradbrook/BBC
The charity's co-founder Mrs Marriott now lives at its new site in Hollowell

Animals in Need was founded by Mr Marriott in 1990 and looks after more than 1,000 animals at any one time.

"I didn't expect it to get this big, but we've been very successful," he said.

But success has come at a cost to the couple's relationship.

"We racked our brains to find a way forward," said Mrs Marriott.

"We couldn't find one. We still see each other every day because of work but we're just not living together."

BBC/Kate Bradbrook A woman dressed in black stands in front of a horsebox holding a brown and white pony by a red lead rope. She is taking the pony to its new home at the charity's second site.BBC/Kate Bradbrook
Ponies have been moved from Pine Tree Farm, near Wellingborough, to their new home in the village of Hollowell

The charity's assistant manager, Emma Townsend, said the move had been stressful and hard work, but would all be "worth it to see the animals happy and on a lot of grazing, it will be amazing".

Mrs Marriott said: "It's so much better they've got so much more room here. We are so thankful to the kind supporter who lets us use the farm."

Asked if she and her husband would be reunited, she said: "Yes, I hope so at some point...he's worked voluntarily for Animals in Need for 35 years... I think he should step back and try to put his feet up a bit."

The couple said the charity had been more successful than they ever imagined.

"We could put another 50 kennels up and they'd be filled tomorrow. I didn't expect it to get this big," admitted Mr Marriott.

"We've outgrown the site. There's only three acres at Pine Tree Farm and we were desperate for more grazing."

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