Beagle site protests as official inspector visits

Humberside Police sent five police officers to the site in Grimston, East Yorkshire, where nine animal rights campaigners held a demonstration as a Government inspector arrived on an official visit.

Chief Insp Richard Kirven said: “Everyone has been very well behaved, the inspector has been able to what he intended to so and we have had no issues whatsoever.”

The inspector is making a report, following an appeal by US-owned B&K Universal after being refused planning permission in June to redevelop its facilities in the village, making it the largest beagle breeding farm in the UK.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will make the final decision.

In the past there have been intermittent protests and residents have been concerned that an expansion of the facilities will see more disturbance in the future.

Chief Insp Kirven added: “Unless there’s intelligence that suggests there is going to be large scale disruption, we will try and continue to deal with it using neighbourhood officers from the area to minimise the effects on policing and the local community.”