A DARTMOOR couple who have dedicated their lives to championing Clydesdale horses have just days left to raise enough money in order to secure them a permanent new home.

Nearly £16,000 has already been pledged by more than 200 people through a Crowdfund appeal but Tim Ancrum and Aileen Ware still need to raise another £9,000 to reach their £25,000 target by March 3.

The couple, whose business Adventure Clydesdales provides riding experiences on Dartmoor, set up the appeal to help them build a barn to house the horses.

With securing the future of the breed, which is classified as vulnerable by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, at the heart of their business, they also want to create an educational facility so that visitors to their base at Brimpts near Dartmeet can learn about the role and importance of the breed in shaping our history.

Tim said: “We’ve been over-whelmed by people’s generosity and it’s been quite staggering. We just need to keep this going for the next few days so that we can reach that all important £25,000 target.

“Working with horses is wonderful, but it is a labour of love and overrides any monetary reward which is why we find ourselves in this predicament, but we’re optimistic that we can get there.”

Among its many supporters, the Crowdfund has received the backing of actor Martin Clunes, a passionate champion for the breed and a friend of the couple.

If the appeal is successful, every supporter will be invited to submit a picture that will be included in a photographic collage and mounted in the class room for posterity.