IN a shocking u-turn council chiefs have decided to close Ayr"s famous Pets Corner after a long fight by the community to keep it open.

The final nail of the coffin was hammered in as council leader Hugh Hunter announced its closure at last week"s 2009/10 budget unveiling.

It"s devastating news that will affect all the animals at the park, with many expected to be killed due to their age.

Speaking to the Advertiser Series after the announcement, chairman of Friends of Pets Corner and former president of Prestwick Rotary, Henry Pimentel said: 'I"ve just had a meeting with Hugh Hunter on what we"re going to do with the animals.

'We went for one last ditch attempt this morning and it didn"t work." South Ayrshire Council first decided to close the site in last year"s budget but locals were unwilling to see the popular family attraction close and a campaign was launched by Ayrshire"s Rotarians, which was taken over by Friends of Pets Corner.

Henry said: 'Our recent business proposal was to negotiate a contract with the council, we were trying to sign a 10 year lease and thought we were going to be able to negotiate prices. It has always been on the table, when we started the council was suppose to give us some kind of money to have it because we thought the public won"t be able to do it on their own. They"ve said they"re going to give us nothing now.

'Our main concern is what is going to happen to the animals. Some of these animals will have to be put down because they are too old to move. I think we could have stopped it but it is unfortunate and cuts happen.

'I just want to thank everyone who got involved. The small amount of people who were here gave 110 per cent effort in this campaign and worked extremely hard.

'I just want to thank all the people for supporting us and will ask them to keep an eye on these pets. The pets are now all the council"s responsibility.' He added that the fundraising amount of almost �35,000 for the centre will now be given to a local animal charity, which the committee will soon decide on.

Speaking on the decision council leader Hugh Hunter said: 'I want to make known my admiration of Henry Pimentel and other members. It is with great disappointment I have to make this announcement. I know this is a particularly difficult situation for Councillors" Grant and Little who worked with the group.' Over 7,000 people had signed the initial petition to keep Pets Corner open with Friends of Pets Corner achieving charitable status in October. However the site will now close on March 31.