Picture: Camp Beagle

Singer Will Young handcuffed  himself to the front gates of company said to breed dogs for lab tests.

The chart-topping artist was with protesters – called “Camp Beagle” – calling for the closure of MBR Acres, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

The Pop Idol winner – who has two dogs – said on Twitter:

“I spent today at the gates of MBR Acres in protest of their testing on beagles.

“I wanted to raise awareness of animal testing and the fact that this is a puppy farm that farms over 2,000 beagle puppies a year to be sent out to their inevitable torture and death.”

Later, Young told ITV he went to Huntingdon after hearing about the campaign.

He said: “I’m an animal lover, and I just couldn’t sit at home.

“I was unaware until about six months ago that even facilities like this existed.”

He said he was prepared to be arrested for his protest.

And he handcuffed himself to what are known as “the gates of hell”.

He questioned: “Why is it beagles?”

“This is the heart-breaking thing – because beagles are the most forgiving breed of dog.”

A spokesperson for Marshall Bioresources, which runs MBR Acres, said the company had sought a High Court order against protesters.

The person added:

“We have no interest in stifling legitimate protest provided it is conducted lawfully and peacefully”.

“All protesters are now currently barred by the court from accessing a designated exclusion area in front of the gates to the sites to restrain the unlawful campaign of harassment, trespass and criminal damage directed against our staff, contractors, and visitors.

“Our business will continue to manage and run its operations in full compliance with Home Office regulations and with our normal high welfare standards.

“We remain proud of what we do every day because our work allows the progress of medicine to save millions of human and animal lives.”