Bread writer Carla Lane, 78, shares a tender moment with her gorgeous canine friend as she opens £315,000 special care unit at animal sanctuary

By Emily Hewett For Mailonline

Published: 09:37 EST, 7 September 2015 | Updated: 09:54 EST, 7 September 2015

She's a die hard animal love and once ran her very own shelter at her home in Sussex.

And on Monday 78-year-old Bread writer Carla Lane opened a new £315,000 special care unit at an animal sanctuary in Melling, Merseyside. 

The comedy writer shared a tender moment with Diesel the dog after she officially opened the state of the art facility at the Carla Lane Animals In Need centre, which was named after her in 2013.

Animal lover: Bread writer Carla Lane, 78, opened a new £315,000 special care unit at an animal sanctuary in Melling, Merseyside, on Monday 

Animal lover: Bread writer Carla Lane, 78, opened a new £315,000 special care unit at an animal sanctuary in Melling, Merseyside, on Monday 

Dressed in an all-black outfit the former BBC writer petted the gorgeous white canine, at one point holding his paw in her hand, as she admired him from the comfort of her wheelchair. 

The new unit has been created in a derelict building which now has specialist pens and equipment to help care for injured rescue animals.

The charity is a non-profit organisation is currently home to over 100 animals, including dogs, cats and rodents that have been abandoned or ill-treated.

Beautiful: The comedy writer shared a tender moment with Diesel the dog after she officially opened the state of the art facility at the Carla Lane Animals In Need centre, which was named after her in 2013

Beautiful: The comedy writer shared a tender moment with Diesel the dog after she officially opened the state of the art facility at the Carla Lane Animals In Need centre, which was named after her in 2013

Because no animals are put down the animals stay on at the sanctuary until they find a new home.

A spokesman at the centre said: 'We are all so proud of what we have achieved and how this building will help change the lives of the more needy animals that come into our care.' 

Volunteers are now fundraising for a new kennel block because the current kennels are becoming rusty and unsafe.

In 2008, Carla, who also penned The Liver Birds and Butterflies, was been forced to sell her own animal sanctuary because she can't afford to run it anymore.

Kind-hearted: In 2008, Carla, who also penned The Liver Birds and Butterflies, was been forced to sell her own animal sanctuary because she can't afford to run it anymore

Kind-hearted: In 2008, Carla, who also penned The Liver Birds and Butterflies, was been forced to sell her own animal sanctuary because she can't afford to run it anymore

She had looked after some 1,000 animals at her manor house in Hayward's Heath, Sussex, for 15 years but was forced to abandon ship when she ran out of money.

Talking to Hello! magazine at the time, she said: 'The money started to disappear rather quickly yet here I was with this big house and sanctuary. I'm no businesswoman, let's face it.'

Despite receiving regular donations from friend Paul McCartney, Carla says: 'The sanctuary costs £3,000 a week to run and that's only because some people are kind to us.'

She added: 'For the last seven years I've paid a farmer almost £2,000 a month to look after 44 bullocks which would have otherwise have been slaughtered.' 

Cutting the ribbon: The new unit has been created in a derelict building which now has specialist pens and equipment to help care for injured rescue animals

Cutting the ribbon: The new unit has been created in a derelict building which now has specialist pens and equipment to help care for injured rescue animals

Standing proud: The charity is a non-profit organisation is currently home to over 100 animals, including dogs, cats and rodents that have been abandoned or ill-treated

Standing proud: The charity is a non-profit organisation is currently home to over 100 animals, including dogs, cats and rodents that have been abandoned or ill-treated