Wildheart Animal Sanctuary’s campaign to save two brown bears and bring them to the Isle of Wight has already raised more than £15,000.

The fundraiser, which was announced earlier this week, seeks to bring Benji and Balu from Azerbaijan to the sanctuary.

“It’s been 56 hours since we launched our campaign, and we’ve already raised more than £15,000 pounds thanks to your very kind donations,” said a spokesperson for the sanctuary.

“We’re truly humbled by this amazing response!

“Every pound donated means the world to us, and brings the timeline for Benji and Balu’s arrival ever closer.

“Our team has already started work on Benji and Balu’s new habitat, and we’ll be sharing updates on our progress very soon!”

Tragically, the pair have spent their lives imprisoned in a cage attached to the side of a restaurant as attractions for gaping tourists, living off scraps of food and whatever else customers threw their way.

Benji and Balu were found malnourished, starving and underweight, with severe damage to their teeth from stress-induced bar-biting.

They are currently languishing in a tiny metal cage in Azerbaijan with no area to hibernate, no water for bathing and no soil under their feet.

Aware of their plight, the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary has drawn up a plan to rescue and provide them with a forever home on our shores.