The two individuals worked in the Beagle Unit inside HLS for over 12 months, writing a diary that detailed shocking abuse, the continued neglect and cruelty to the animals inside HLS, as well as complete worker incompetence, the falsification of data and criminal acts.

"I met my team leader. She was in the middle of doing a bleed. I was shocked at what I saw and thought it was quite barbaric... The dogs were struggling and whimpering as the needle was plunged in and out of their necks."

Exposed in 1997 on Channel 4, secret footage from HLS showed scenes of workers punching beagle puppies - their fates remain the same today:

"I saw co-workers grab them by the scruff, shout and swear at them, swing them by the scruff and slap them."

'Inside Huntingdon Life Sciences' also details staff attitudes, where workers would return from lunch breaks smelling of alcohol. The falsification of data was a daily occurrence, where nothing was ever noted and no-one else told when complaints of animal welfare and accuracy of procedures were challenged.

"At the end of the day the books were checked by a license holder and signed. If you had forgotten a time you were told to make one up. This is falsifying data and shouldn't be done."

Laboratories in the UK boast high levels of cleanliness, as the report shows this clearly is not true.

"The units were supposed to be power-hosed every four weeks... this didn't happen sometimes because we were too busy, short-staffed or just overlooked. When the unit was eventually power-hosed the pen bars would be thick with faeces and it took hours to clean."

The report also highlights how workers at HLS are encouraged to water-down disinfectant to make it last longer, and use supplies such as needles, gloves and masks sparingly. Example after example of everything Huntingdon Life Sciences tries to hide can be found in this report - urines and bleeds missed, needles not changed after three attempts, dogs not adequately anaesthetised before bone marrow removal, animals not given correct vet treatment, dogs left to suffer with dry/wet abrasions; with impetigo passed on to the children of staff and a senior technician exposed for visiting the pub every lunch time and always being on drugs at work, as well as the number of vets at HLS cut from 6 to 3 (for 70,000 animals).

Campaign group, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, formed in 1999 to close down HLS, call for the closure of HLS following this report and challenge any attempts to defend this laboratory in relation to the recent evidence that should lead to its closure.

BACKGROUND

-This is the sixth expose of HLS, with others featuring parallel animal cruelty, and unbelievable and dangerous staff incompetence. For more information see www.shac.net

-Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty was formed in 1999 with the single aim of closing HLS, using a financial strategy with undeniable success.

NOTES TO EDITORS

-Please contact SHAC for a full copy of the Report 'Inside Huntingdon life Sciences', it can also be downloaded online at  http://www.shac.net/MISC/Inside_HLS_Full_Report.html

-Telephone interviews are available on request please phone 0845 458 0630

-All images were taken from the Channel 4 Documentary 'Animals' which was filmed inside HLS - at the end of the film it stated the scenes of inhalation toxicology on dogs were not shot inside HLS, when there is evidence from the workers present saying they were.