HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope has launched a fierce attack at Westminster on the breeding of a featherless chicken.

He claims that the move byt an Israeli geneticist is cruelty which will appal most British people.

In a motion at the House of Commons he branded it "wanton disregard of farm animals' well-being".

He is urging the Government to ban the breeding of featherless chickens in the UK and to prohibit similar efforts with other animals.

Mr Pope's Early Day Motion is unlikely to be debated but aims to prompt the Government into action on the issue.

The motion appears on the last Order Paper before the Whitsun break and Parliament's daily agenda is circulated to all MPs, ministers and senior civil servants.

Mr Pope, a Labour backbencher, said: "I am very concerned at the creation of a featherless chicken's geneticist in Israel.

"The selective breeding of this chicken has been carried out with a view to increasing profitability and convenience in factory farming and I believe that this raises major ethical questions for scientists.

"I feel sure that the majority of British people will be appalled by such wanton disregard of farm animals well-being.

"I believe that the welfare of animals should be placed at the heart of farming.

"I am urging the Government to prohibit the development of featherless chickens in the United Kingdom and to discourage the selective breeding of farm animals which leades to ill-health or pain or prevents the animals from carrying out their natural behaviour."