A STOURPORT campaigner has dedicated her life to freeing moon bears from cruel conditions in farms in China and Vietnam.

It was fourteen years ago that Chris Coldrick read a newspaper article describing the horrors of bear bile farming and ever since that time she has been determined to make a stand against animal cruelty.

In recent years she has become a regional fundraiser for Animals Asia, who campaign to save the bears and have set up sanctuaries for them in the far east.

This year she has raised over £5,000 for the charity in fifteen street collections in and around the Worcestershire area and more than £2,000 from a sponsored sky dive she did earlier this month.

Chris, who lives on Bewdley Road in Stourport, said: “Animals Asia are a wonderful organisation and it has been my privilege to raise tens of thousands of pounds for them over the years, in the knowledge that the money I have collected has helped save hundreds of bears from suffering.

“This year has been another successful one for my fundraising, but the highpoint of it was when I travelled to China and Vietnam in May to visit the sanctuaries where the rescued bears are being cared for.

“I have already arranged several street collections in the Wyre Forest area next year, and if anyone would like to lend a hand, they can contact me via email at chriscoldrick@gmail.com”

People can find out more about the work of the organisation via animalsasia.org