A RESCUE centre has launched a petition to get its animals back after they were taken away because of welfare concerns.

Volunteers and trustees at MagnaRep have called for the community to lend their support following the removal of its exotic creatures by the RSPCA earlier this month.

Chris Thomson, volunteer, said there had been a surge of support for the charity since the incident and the petition has been signed by around 300 people.

The Breightmet resident said: "We set up the petition about two days after it happened and people who know us have been coming into the shop and signing it.

"At the moment we have about 300 signatures. We do not have a target or anything so we are just going to get as many as we can and then hand it in to the MP Sir David Crausby to try and get him involved.

"It has been brilliant. Everyone who is coming to us have been disgusted by the way we have been treated and they have given us their full backing,

"The support has just been amazing. We want to say thank you to everyone for sticking with us and we will not give up until the very end."

Police and RSPCA officials swooped on the Oxford Street premises during the morning of Thursday, April 13 after concerns were raised about the animals' welfare.

Officers were stationed at the front entrance and denied volunteers and customers access as the creatures were inspected.

The animals were later removed from the building on the advice of a vet and taken into care.

The building was locked up until the process was complete and the trustees were allowed back in.

Police also took details from people who owned pets in the shop, including the animals’ names, ages and breeds.

Several of the trustees and volunteers were in tears at the time and Mr Thomson said everyone was still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

He said: "Everyone is quite upset to be honest and we are still not receiving any contact from the RSPCA. It has been over a week."

During the execution of the warrant, the RSPCA released a statement confirming that a "large number" of exotic animals, including snakes, lizards and spiders, had been taken into possession.