Activists besiege cat farm

HUNDREDS OF animal rights activists again laid siege at the weekend to the controversial Hill Grove Farm in Oxfordshire, where cats are bred for vivisection experiments.

The protesters, who object to the breeding of special cats which do not suffer from various common cat viruses, faced mounted police in full riot gear who formed a roadblock 250 yards from the centre ofWitney.

The protest was tense and there were angry exchanges. Nine men and one woman were arrested for offences including assault, affray and public order problems. Hundreds of police from six forces were at the protest, or on stand-by.

One landlord locked his patrons inside the pub until the marchers passed by after children and customers became upset by the chanting. Earlier animal rights' rallies had led to clashes with the police.