A COMMUNITY farm in Salisbury is pleading members of the public not to feed their donkeys, as doing so could kill them.

River Bourne Community Farm on Cow Lane are speaking out about the issue, having noticed their donkeys eating food not being given to them by their staff.

Sara-Jane Hancock, education and marketing manager said: "People who don't know much about donkeys, they take a look in the field, they see there's no grass around them and they think they're being starved but they're not.

"We deliberately keep them away from the grass because they're very greedy and if they were on grass they would eat everything until it's gone."

As a result of eating food such as carrots and bread, which is sometimes left in their trough, donkeys can develop laminitis or colic, two life-threatening conditions.

"We already had to pay for the vet to come out and check our donkeys and we can't afford that at the moment with no income coming in," added Sara-Jane.

"Recently a lady was spotted giving them a huge bag full of carrots. They will eat the whole lot because they don't know any better but it's like sweets for them. It's too sweet and it's just too much.

"I know people are being kind or think they are being kind but they are actually putting their lives at risk."

The two donkeys at the farm, Chris and Pongo, and miniature donkeys, Bubble and Squeak, are all on very strict diets.

They are all "absolutely the right weight" and "must not be fed".

"I'm really worried about them because we can't afford to call the vet and I don't want them to die."

Anyone who sees people feeding the donkeys is encouraged to speak to them or inform the farm.