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Tesco and Red Tractor have dropped a controversial pork supplier following a sustained investigation by a Bristol-based vegan charity.

Viva! has been working to expose conditions at Hogwood Farm in Warwickshire since 2017, using hidden cameras during three visits to the site to capture disturbing pictures and footage which included shots of distressed pigs resorting to cannibalism.

Further footage obtained from the farm includes maggot-ridden piglets discarded in a skip, skulls found inside pens, and pigs confined within filthy, waste-covered pens.

Hogwood Farm, home to some 15,000 pigs, has been extensively reported on in the past with Viva! last visiting the site in July 2019. Scenes captured by hidden cameras show piglets being kicked and thrown by farm workers, animals struck with tools, dead pigs left to rot in piles of carcasses, and evidence of the animals aggressively biting and bullying one another.

(Image: Viva!)

Tesco and Red Tractor's decision to continue using and certifying Hogwood had previously been defended, however as of July 16, Red Tractor suspended Hogwood's certification pending further inspections. Shortly afterwards, Tesco confirmed it had stopped accepting all products supplied from Hogwood.

Juliet Gellatley, Viva! founder and director said: "This news is a huge victory. We cannot express how much this decision means for us and the thousands of pigs trapped inside Hogwood Farm.

"The animal cruelty that our team witnessed on Hogwood Farm cannot be easily forgotten. Over the past two years, there has been complete inaction by industry bodies, with meaningless assurances that they are working to improve standards.

"But finally, with this undeniable evidence, animal welfare has come before profit. We couldn’t be more thrilled.

(Image: Viva! Campaigns)

"Since our first investigation, the farm owners have invested thousands of pounds into increasing security at Hogwood. Rather than improve conditions for these poor animals, they invested in making it more difficult for the public to see the truth. Now, the truth is finally out and consumers will no longer unknowingly support Hogwood Horror Farm.

"Although we congratulate Tesco and Red Tractor on finally making the right decision, I can’t help but question why it is routinely left to animal welfare groups like Viva! to expose the abuse taking place on farms.

"Factory farming is an inherently cruel business and we hope that this exposé shows that assurance schemes like Red Tractor cannot be trusted. If you oppose animal cruelty, the best thing you can do is go vegan."

Viva! campaigners have in the past taken to Bristol City Centre in a bid to raise awareness of the conditions at Hogwood Farm amongst members of the public, in spite of previous assurances in the past by Tesco that the appropriate welfare standards were being sufficiently met.

A spokesperson for Tesco said this morning (Monday, August 19) however: "We have asked our supplier, Cranswick, to stop all supply from Hogwood.

"These are distressing and unacceptable scenes which fall well below the high animal welfare standards we require from all of our suppliers."

A spokesperson for Red Tractor said: "The farm’s Red Tractor certificate has already been suspended pending further investigation into these appalling behaviours."

Bristol Live attempted to reach out to Brian Hobill, the farm's owner, following the news of Tesco's decision to stop using Hogwood as a supplier however we were unable to find up to date contact details.

Mr Hobill appeared in a Channel 4 documentary Dispatches: The Truth About Vegans in January 2019, during which he said: "I think we have better conditions than most nursing homes."

In 2017, when footage of the farm first came to light, he told The Mirror: "The care of our animals is our top priority.

"These pictures taken by Juliet Gellatley, leader of an extremist vegan group, do not represent the general health of the animals on the farm.

“There does appear to be shortcomings on deadstock removal. However, we will review our policies and ensure these are followed.”