Indian Queens

Close to an area dominated by china clay quarries, this chiefly Victorian village is home to Screech Owl Sanctuary, which lies just to the northeast. Visitors can see and touch the owls under staff supervision, and there is a guided tour of the centre. The sanctuary began as a captive collection of owls and expanded when an elderly breeder passed on his collection of birds prior to retirement. Part of this menagerie consisted of a disabled buzzard, and a barn owl, which that had lost half a wing in a road accident. Before long the Screech Owl Sanctuary began providing care and rehabilitation for wild sick and injured owls. Ensuring their safe release back to the wild, when fully recovered, is the main function of the sanctuary. The sanctuary has now diversified somewhat, with the introduction of emus, Shetland ponies and meerkats, and new for 2011, Alpacas.