MADAM - More than 30,000 people have now signed a petition on the government's website calling for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses, with independent monitoring of the footage.

This is in response to Animal Aid's investigations that found evidence of widespread cruelty inside UK slaughterhouses, including animals being kicked, punched, beaten and burned with cigarettes.

We also filmed animals being dragged by their ears, picked up by their fleeces and thrown, and improperly stunned.

More than 145 MPs support the campaign for CCTV, and 76 per cent of the public do too, according to a recent YouGov poll.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition or find out more can do so at www.SlaughterhouseCCTVorg.uk

Kate Fowler

Animal Aid

Tonbridge