Little Meadow animal sanctuary in Stoke Bliss 'burns down'

John Griffiths said that he spotted the smoke at around 9am on Monday (July 22) and alerted his farmer neighbours in case it was affecting their fields.

Black smoke believed to be coming from Little Meadow (Image: John Griffiths)

But when he drove down the road in Stoke Bliss towards the fire, on the Worcestershire and Herefordshire border, he found that it was coming from a caravan that used to house rescue animals.

He called 999 after he saw it "burning down".

The Little Meadow site's owner, Graham Stephens, of Broad Street, Bromyard, was jailed for eight months in October last year and banned from keeping animals for life after pleading guilty to eight offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

His animal charity, which was first registered in 2007, was previously run in Wyre Forest under the name Wyre Forest Animal Trust before moving out of the area. 

The RSPCA raided the sanctuary, near Tenbury Wells, in March 2022 where they discovered animals being kept in appalling conditions.

Graham Stephens (Image: NQ)

The fire and rescue service rushed to the scene after reports that two chalets and a caravan were well alight, as well as a telegraph pole. A spokesperson for the service said: "Three crews, one each from Bromyard, Leominster and Tenbury Wells Fire Stations, plus the water carrier from Leominster, were called on July 22 to a caravan fire in Stoke Bliss.

"The fire involved two chalets and a caravan which were well alight as well as a telegraph pole which was involved in fire. The fire was fought by two firefighters.

"The incident was marked as stop at 1.18pm but crews are currently dampening down and remain at the scene as of 1.57pm."

It is understood that the chalets and caravans were those used by Stephens to house animals before his imprisonment.

The 63-year-old's sentence came after 44 animals were found at Little Meadow, including Chinese crested dogs, donkeys, birds and more.

He had caused unnecessary suffering by failing to provide appropriate farriery, dental treatment, or address a heavy lice infestation on three donkeys.

He had also failed to provide appropriate farriery, treatment for a bacterial infection, and a heavy lice infestation for a fourth donkey.

It was also found he caused unnecessary suffering to a Chinese crested dog after failing to provide veterinary treatment for an eye condition and dental disease.

Included in these accounts were keeping two rabbits and a guinea pig in a faeces-covered cage of insufficient size, keeping four tawny owls and a little owl in filthy cages that were too small and too close to dogs, and confining a squirrel in a dirty cage that was too small and too close to dogs.