A UNIVERSITY in the North-East has been accused of carrying out horrific animal experiments in which pigs had their bladders cut open and were later killed.

The National Anti-Vivisection Society, an animal rights group, said the pigs at Newcastle University's comparative biology centre were given the painful condition cystitis in a study of kidney scarring.

This was despite the fact that research into kidney scarring had already been proven in humans, the society alleged.

Jan Creamer, chief executive of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, said: "It is disgraceful that the University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is sanctioning cruel and unnecessary tests on animals when the research data already exists.

"It has long been recognised that there are clear species differences between animals and humans, but more animals than ever are suffering for science, despite proven alternatives to animal experiments."

In the experiment, six female pigs were cut open to expose the bladder and researchers removed a section of one of the tubes that collects urine from the kidneys and the new opening of the tube was stitched to the bladder.

A week later the animals' bladders were injected with bacteria to induce cystitis.

Following bacterial infection, the pigs in the study developed temperatures, were subdued and stopped eating. The pigs were later killed.

Abnormalities in the pigs' kidneys showed that cystitis had caused some scarring which led to the conclusion that the same could occur in adult humans.

The National Anti-Vivisection Society said its research showed a paediatric study carried out five years earlier had observed that the opposite was true.

A Newcastle University spokeswoman denied that such a study had been carried out previously. She said the university was engaged in serious research to help doctors to prevent bladder infections in children which could lead to serious kidney damage.

She said pigs had been used because of their biological similarity to humans, and that the only viable alternative would have been to carry out experiments on children, which would have been unacceptable.

The spokeswoman said: "Our team of professional animal carers made every effort to protect the welfare of the pigs throughout the project. We consider animal research to be a just cause if it is of significant benefit to medical advances, as it certainly was in this case."