STAFF at Lydney charity shop had to call on the help of experts after a well-wisher made a valuable donation.

Jewellery worth about £1,000 was handed over to the Cats Protection shop in Newerne Street by an unnamed supporter.

A spokeswoman for Cats Protection in Lydney said: "A gift of jewellery worth about £1,000 was gratefully received. This was carefully valued and sold."

The shop's more routine donations are clothes, bric-a-brac and books.

The spokeswoman added: "The shop is the main source of funding for the cats in our care.

"The average cost per week for vet treatment, food, shelter and neutering is about £1,000."

Although the Lydney branch can house about 40 cats at any one time there is always a waiting lists of animals to come into care and more people willing to foster would be welcomed.

There is a new assistant manager in Christie Evans who joins manager Deena Porteous and about 25 volunteers at the shop which opened in 2001. For more information contact the shop on 01594 841848.