THE aviary in Bournemouth has been saved at the 11th hour after a local firm stumped up the cash and manpower for it to stay.

The news will thrill fans of the attraction, hundreds of whom backed the Echo's campaign to keep it.

Details of which company saved the day are as yet unknown, but what is known is that they've agreed to pay for the bird feed and vet bills and will arrange for volunteers to run the aviary.

In July councillors voted to axe the aviary in a bid to save £20,000 a year and bird lovers raised fears that the attraction's 300 birds would have to be destroyed.

The deadline for the council to reach a decision over the aviary's fate was extended by a few days at the end of last week and yesterday evening Cllr Angela Manton, cabinet member for Strengthening Our Economy, signed a deal with a private sponsor.

She said: "A sponsor has come forward at the 11th hour and there has been good news for the birds in the aviary.

"This is great news for all the people that took the trouble to send in the forms and the petition. As a new administration we're glad to be able to deliver what the people want.

"We have been surprised by the strength of feeling and the amount of letters that it has generated. It has all come good in the end."

A few sponsors came forward to support the aviary and Bourne-mouth council was tasked with choosing the best offer.

They also received an overwhelming response from the public - some of whom even offered to dip into their own pockets and contribute to keep the aviary.

Though the deal has been agreed, the company involved is still discussing issues over public liability insurance and will remain anonymous until those issues are ironed out.