Animal rights activists are calling for the closure of a French fur farm after undercover footage revealed mink crawling over mummified bodies and through their own faeces in cages.

Shocking video also showed that some of the animals had resorted to cannibalism.

The disturbing images are set to intensify calls for the UK to ban the import of animal furs, France being the second biggest supplier, in an industry that was still worth an estimated £70million in the British market last year.

The UK outlawed animal fur farms in 2003 but continues to import the product from other countries.

A criminal complaint for acts of cruelty has been filed against the farm's owners.

Animal rights activists are calling for the closure of a French fur farm after undercover footage revealed mink crawling over mummified bodies and through their own faeces

The shocking video also showed that some of the animals had even resorted to cannibalism

The UK outlawed animal fur farms in 2003 but continues to import the product from other countries

One Voice campaigners found the shocking scenes after entering the mink breeding farm.

In one clip a small white mink shivers as it lies on a pile of dead bodies while in another an animal struggles to get away from the gnawed and decomposing corpse of its cage mate.

Pictures from inside the farm showed rotting mink corpses strewn across cages as, in one, grey muck dripped onto the mink that were tightly packed together.

The video has been branded some of the 'most disturbing evidence of farm cruelty' ever seen by animal rights group Humane Society International.

In one clip from the footage a small white mink shivers as it lies on a pile of dead bodies

The video has been branded some of the 'most disturbing evidence of farm cruelty' ever seen by animal rights group Humane Society International

Pictures from inside the farm showed rotting mink corpses strewn across cages

UK director Claire Bass said the animals appeared 'tormented and tragic', adding that it was 'appalling' to see this right on the UK's doorstep.

'In the wild mink are beautiful, intelligent and inquisitive little animals that dig and hunt and swim and range for miles.

'The animals in this investigation are like tormented and tragic doppelgangers.

'The fur trade tries to peddle a myth of fur as elegant and glamorous but I would defy even the most hardened fur-wearer to look at this footage and see anything but misery.

'The UK was the first country in the world to ban fur farming, and we are fast gaining political support to blaze a trail as the first country to ban the sale of this cruel, outdated and unnecessary product.'

As part of its #FurFreeBritain campaign, the society is calling for the UK to ban the sale of all animal furs, extending the current prohibition from cat, dog and seal furs.

Humane Society International's Claire Bass said it was 'appalling' to see this right on the UK's doorstep

As part of its #FurFreeBritain campaign, the society is calling for the UK to ban the sale of all animal furs

As much as 23 per cent of the UK's fur imports come from France with only Italy sending a larger amount

Since the footage was released more than 26,000 people have signed a petition calling for the farm to be closed.

The footage has also prompted politicians to allege that the UK's exit from the European Union could be used as an opportunity to ban the sale of all animal furs in the country.

Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith said Brexit provided an 'opportunity' for this.

'It's appalling that despite having banned fur farming in this country more than fifteen years ago, we're still bankrolling the same cruelty - or, if this footage is anything to go by, worse - by allowing the import and sale of fur from overseas.'

As much as 23 per cent of the UK's fur imports come from France with only Italy sending a larger amount.

French designers Dior, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent and Celine all still use animal fur in their products.

The footage has also prompted politicians to allege that the UK's exit from the European Union could be used as an opportunity to ban the sale of all animal furs

Since the footage was released more than 26,000 people have signed a petition calling for the farm to be closed

The shocking footage comes after 'mentally broken' foxes and mink were pictured in a Finnish fur farm at the end of last year

The shocking footage comes after 'mentally broken' foxes and mink were pictured in a Finnish fur farm at the end of last year.

Minks, foxes and raccoons in the cages were forced into cannabalism and were pictured with festering raw wounds.

They also had deformed feet, diseased eyes and open lacerations across their bodies.

Veterinary Professor Alastair MacMillan, who looked at the footage, said it 'shows the toll that the continued isolation and confinement is having on these animals, many are showing signs of severe physical and psychological distress.

'Several of the mink and foxes have open, infected wounds and several foxes have grossly diseased eyes which will be extremely painful.

'If this is the best the fur industry can offer animals, no wonder so many designers, retailers and now cities no longer want anything to do with it.'

Farms in Finland are reportedly the biggest producers of fox fur in Europe with around 2.5million of the animals being reared and electrocuted every year for the global trade.

The farm's owners have been contacted for comment by MailOnline.

A white mink is trapped in a cage that gives it very little room to move around