PLANS for a “substantial” expansion to a North Dorset abattoir have been withdrawn amid allegations of animal cruelty and the suspension of a supermarket contract.

Sainsbury’s confirmed yesterday that it stopped selling meat slaughtered at the Anglo Beef Processors plant at Manston, near Sturminster Newton in March.

And planners at North Dorset District Council said ABP had withdrawn plans within the last few weeks for a huge new refrigeration plant prompted by a supermarket contract.

Sainsbury’s decision follows the publication of video footage allegedly gained from the plant in which cows are beaten and shot multiple times in the skull with stun bolts.

A Sainsbury’s spokesman said: “We treat any allegations of animal cruelty extremely seriously. We were made aware of the situation at the ABP abattoir at Sturminster Newton in March and immediately suspended all supply from the site.

Warning: this video contains scenes you may find upsetting.

“Since then supply has not resumed and we continue to assess their progress against an agreed action plan of improvements.”

Campaign group, Animal Aid, claims to have secretly filmed the plant’s “stunning box” for two days in January, and alleged that 12 per cent of the 114 cows filmed were stunned multiple times due to the absence of a shelf to restrain the animal’s head.

They alleged that cattle were kept into the stun box for over an hour before being stunned, and said video footage posted on their website of a slaughterman beating a cow with a mop was filmed inside the Manston plant.

Animal Aid’s director, Andrew Tyler, praised Sainsbury’s decision to suspend supply from the plant saying it was vitally important that supermarkets used purchasing power to ensure welfare standards were upheld.

His group sent its footage to a division of the government’s Food Standards Agency in March. An FSA spokesman said yesterday: “ABP is currently being investigated with a view to prosecution.”

Planners at North Dorset District Council said documentation to support an application for “substantial” expansion of the plant’s refrigerated capacity cited a supermarket contract.

The application had been withdrawn on June 11 because of “unresolved drainage and landscape issues,” the planning officer said, adding that he believed it would be resubmitted.

An ABP spokesman said “robust” action had since been taken by the firm at its Manston plant, including the “comprehensive” retraining of staff and installation of CCTV cameras.

“Whilst we note that the Competent Authority has said that none of the animals featured in the footage at Sturminster Newton appeared to be unduly distressed and the filming at Sturminster Newton did not identify some of the worst examples filmed by Animal Aid, we expect animal welfare to be nothing less than an absolute priority for all our staff,” the spokesman said.

The firm remained “fully committed” to expanding the plant, he added.

“Whilst it is one of our smaller factories, the ABP plant at Sturminster Newton is an important facility, both for us, and for the local rural economy.

“We are committed to the long term sourcing of cattle from the South West. We already have exciting plans for the site and are fully committed to our current planning application.

If you wish to comment on this story please click here.