A Frome animal rescue had raised more than £4,000 in three days towards buying land for a new sanctuary after warning that its current site could close, leaving more than 300 animals in need of a home.

Lorraine Parker, who launched the GoFundMe appeal for Cornpop Critter Rescue on 4 November, thanked around 200 supporters in a Facebook update. She said the response had left the team “absolutely speechless” and that donations had reached 51 per cent of the first target within three days.

“We set this up not expecting to get anything at all and within seconds of posting it, it took off faster than we could have ever imagined,” she wrote.

The appeal had reached £4,135 from 205 donations when checked on Sunday, taking it past the halfway mark of its initial £8,000 target. Parker said the rescue was still a long way from being able to put down a deposit and asked supporters to be patient while the team worked towards buying a site.

Lorraine said the fundraiser would stay open and that the money raised through it would be set aside for the land purchase. The rescue may make separate appeals for feed and veterinary bills while it continues to care for the animals at its existing site, she added.

The original GoFundMe description lists a wider range of costs, including moving the animals, feeding them and providing veterinary care during the move. In her Facebook update, Parker said the money from this appeal would be reserved for buying land.

The appeal says many of the animals in the rescue’s care have experienced neglect or abandonment. Parker wants the new sanctuary to give a permanent home to animals that cannot be rehomed, including those whose age, illness or disability makes finding a suitable home difficult.

The plans include secure fencing, barns and shelters, as well as spaces designed around the animals’ needs so they can behave as naturally as possible. The appeal also sets out an ambition to establish the sanctuary as a registered charity.

Lorraine said she wanted the sanctuary to benefit vulnerable people as well as the animals in its care. “All we ever want is a better environment and future for all the animals involved, and for vulnerable people,” she wrote.

She said the pace of donations had slowed after the initial surge and urged people to keep sharing the appeal. The fundraiser has been pinned to the top of the rescue’s Facebook page so supporters can find it as the search for a permanent home continues.

Parker told supporters that buying land would take time and work, even after a first few days that had exceeded the team’s expectations. “This won’t happen overnight!” she wrote.

To support the appeal go to GoFundMe.com and search for: “Save our rescue, save more animals, help more people”