POLICE have been placed on alert after a kidnap threat was reportedly made against a manager at controversial animal testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS).

The threat has led to renewed fears that animal rights activists are about to step up their campaign of hate in this region.

Two years ago, The Northern Echo revealed how protest group Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty (SHAC) was targeting HLS shareholders in North Yorkshire, County Durham, Cleveland and Tyneside.

Leaflets featuring disturbing acts of alleged animal cruelty were pushed through the letter boxes of neighbours in a "name and shame" campaign.

Events came to a head with an attack on the Northallerton home of Leonard Cass, the brother of Brian Cass, the managing director of Cambridgeshire-based HLS.

Student Gillian Bradley and teacher Jonathan Ablewhite were jailed for nine months for the attack in which stones and paint were thrown at the property, causing £2,000 worth of damage.

Last night, a spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said they were monitoring the activities of animal rights activists in the county, adding: "We are alert to any threat and will take appropriate measures if necessary although naturally in the case of individuals we would not discuss these."

Cambridgeshire Police said they could not confirm or deny reports of a kidnap threat.

But they said such threats were a recognised tactic used by activists.

In a statement, they said: "We have a long-standing relationship with HLS, its staff and those associated with the company and regularly review the security arrangements we have in place."

Activists have also organised a number of demonstrations against partners and customers of HLS, including GlaxoSmith Kline, in Barnard Castle, County Durham, and Dow Chemicals, based at the Wilton industrial site, Teesside.