PROTESTERS say they will continue to demonstrate outside a Hampshire business until the controversial Huntingdon Life Sciences closes for good.

A group of around three protesters armed with banners and a megaphone stand outside Ciba Vision in Hedge End, Southampton every week.

The protesters, part of Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC), believe Ciba Vision company is buying from the life sciences firm and campaign for it to stop every week.

Huntingdon is targeted regularly by animal rights activists campaigning against the testing of animals at the site.

Protests, which have been taking place for two years, are limited by a court injunction to two hours a week and must be in designated areas away from the building and using only one megaphone on a medium volume.

Police attend the demonstrations every week and usually send down specialist animal rights officers from Netley.

Dave Thompson, a protester from Fareham, said: “My view is if we target the customers and suppliers of Huntingdon Life Sciences, who profit from them, then eventually they will have to close.

“The tests they carry out are only 20 per cent effective and this is a company that is responsible for the deaths of 500 animals a day.

“We intend to stage these protests every week until Huntingdon Life Sciences is closed for good.”

Ciba Vision declined to comment on either the protests or their involvement with Huntingdon Life Sciences.