CAMPAIGNERS are calling for answers to vital questions in their bid to save Aberdeen’s Doonies Farm.

The Friends of Doonies have been battling to save the family attraction near Cove since it was earmarked for closure as part of Aberdeen City Council’s £27 million budget cuts. John Sleigh, chairman of the new Friends of Doonies limited company, said: “We need to get answers now or we are not going to be able to take on the running of the farm.

“We want to apply a bit of public pressure to the council.

“We have made a lot of progress already and have got money coming in – but we still need to know if the council are going to give us the keys to the farm. How are we to take it on if we don’t know what we are running?”

He said the Save Doonies Campaign – which is now divided into a charity and a company branch – needed to know about staffing, what was going to happen to the animals, and how long they could lease the farm for.

Mr Sleigh hopes they will be given a 15 to 25 year lease.

He said: “We are not here to make money for anyone else. What we will offer is a farm that is valuable to the people of Aberdeen.”

He said they needed to know if they were to be gifted the rare breeds animals from the council or whether they would have to rent or buy them.

Campaign members were due to meet council officials at Aberdeen Town House tonight.

ktaylor@ajl.co.uk