Butterfly World fans from across the globe continue giving their support to local efforts to save the sanctuary, with over 50,000 signing an online petition.

In just six weeks since it was launched, following the official announcement of the project’s closure, signatures on the Save Butterfly World petition have come from people in Iceland, Denmark, Morocco and New Zealand.

The e-petition is aimed at convincing the St Albans-based attraction’s owners, the Breheny Group, to reverse its unpopular decision to permanently close the attraction.

But earlier this month, the firm signalled it was unlikely to have a change of heart as despite the strength of feeling, and “however well meant”, the project was not financially viable.

However, an undeterred chairman of recently formed group Save Butterfly World, John Horsfield, said: “We are both pleased and surprised at the level of support. I am writing to Breheny’s again asking for a meeting to see how we can save this important habitat.

“Many of those who have signed the petition are local teachers and parents concerned that this educational resource has gone.

“Children held insects, saw the life cycle of a butterfly in action and experienced some of the life of the rainforest, all topics they had been learning about in the classroom.”

To sign the petition, click here.