Our kind-hearted readers have donated more than £1,500 to fund surgery for a rabbit found dumped in a bush with two broken legs.

Readers from as far afield as Australia, Malta and the Netherlands, came forward after the Riverside Animal Centre made an appeal through the Sutton Guardian last week to raise about £400 for the male rabbit, found last month in a bush covered in urine and faeces.

The centre in Beddington, which rescued and is caring for the rabbit, now named Flipper, described his injuries as some of the worst it had seen.

After last week's article, more than 50 people, came forward to make donations to help the one-and-a-half year-old, who is still in pain, and urgently needs help.

Among them was a young girl who brought in £50 of coppers she had saved, and a former Sutton resident living down-under.

Ted Burden, the centre's founder, said it had been overwhelmed by the response.

He said: "It really makes what we do worth it when we get a reaction like this. We had non-stop phone calls all day Friday and a flurry of donations through our wesbite."

"We just want to say thankyou to everyone who has helped."

"The amount raised will more than cover the costs of surgery and will help fund any nursing and aftercare costs as well."

Many donors expressed an interest in meeting Flipper, and looking after him permanently after his surgery.

But Mr Burden said it might be hard for anyone to get the bunny off pet unit supervisor, Jackie Beer, who had fallen in love with him, after caring for him.

Interested residents can meet Flipper and other abandoned animals, between 12noon and 3pm on Sunday, August 21, when the centre holds its next monthly pet re-homing day.

The centre currently has unprecedented numbers of abandoned animals, including about 20 cats, eight dogs and fifteen rabbits.

For more details call the centre's dedicated pet unit line on 020 8669 8877 or visit riversideanimalcentre.org