A NEW animal rights group is to be officially set up for the Blackburn area.

Local enthusiasm at a meeting last night was so impressive that members of the British Union of the Abolition for Vivisection Reform Group agreed there should be a East Lancashire branch.

Campaigner Niel Hansen, said: "We have always found the people in this area sympathetic to our cause and enthusiastic and we think the time has come to set up a local group."

Mr Hansen and other members of the reform group were in King George's Hall as part of a recruitment drive and major nationwide campaign in an attempt to close Europe's largest testing laboratory in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Hansen said: "There was enough support at the Blackburn meeting to arrange transport to our demonstration in Cambridgeshire on September 16. If anyone would like more information about that or the group itself they should contact 0121 632 6460."