Police were called in after pop star Will Young handcuffed himself to gates at an animal rights protest outside a beagle breeding facility.
The singer joined protesters from ‘Camp Beagle, outside MBR Acres, near RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, to demand the release of the dogs inside and an end to the use of beagles in laboratory testing.
Celebrity campaigners Ricky Gervais and Peter Egan have also called for the closure of the facility, which is owned by US-based company Marshall BioResources, reports Cambridgeshire Live.
Mr Young said he had driven up from London - "a two hour drive" - for the protest.
"I have rescue dogs and, as a dog owner and an animal lover, I couldn't watch what was going on at this puppy breeding facility which breeds up to 2,000 puppy beagles a year - effectively a puppy farm - to be sent to their inevitable torture and death for animal testing."
"I just think people don't know that it goes on in this country."
Mr Young said that handcuffing himself to the gate was "more uncomfortable" than he thought it would - and said his back was hurting "because I'm old".
Police were seen to come and talk to Mr Young - who then removed his handcuffs, released himself from the gates and joined other protesters.
A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said: “Our response to the protests in Wyton has been impartial and proportionate, balancing the right to protest with the right of staff at the site to go about their lawful work.
“We are ensuring a safe environment for protestors to express their views peacefully and staff at the site to do their work, which is protected under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.”
Live updates from the protest can be found here.
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