A trainee farmer has spoken out about threats and insults farmers receive from vegans.

Alison Waugh, a trainee farmer from Northumberland, spoke to the Victoria Derbyshire programme about protesters vandalising farms using graffiti and making their lives difficult.

She also pointed out the irony of those who claim to love animals and peace to make death threats.

She said: 'When you get called murderers and rapists, that's really overstepping the mark.

'It's crushing when you take as much pride in your animals as we do.'

Some farmers have even said they struggle to sleep, according to the National Pig Association.

During the filming of the show, protesters took to a slaughterhouse in Liverpool and police became involved after they trespassed the abattoir.

A clip of the altercation was shared on the social media of Save Movement, an animal rights group.

Trainee farmer Alison Waugh spoke about protesters vandalising farms and making their lives difficult

Veganism is on the rise in the UK, with a reported 542,000 people having ditched meat and dairy for a vegan lifestyle

There are now more than 542,000 vegans in the UK, according to the Vegan Society.

The number of animal free food consumers is thought to have increased three fold in the last ten years, with almost half aged between 15 and 34.

Speaking in the clip, animal liberation activist known as Joe 'Carbstrong', who has taken part in protests with The Save Movement, said: 'If abolitionists didn't didn't speak up for what happened back then with the slaves, it would never have been abolished.'

Joe Carbstrong, an animal liberation activist, said: 'If abolitionists didn't didn't speak up for what happened back then with the slaves, it would never have been abolished'

The Save Movement 'bears witness' to the animals en route to slaughter, meaning they will be present and try and help with the injustice.

Joey Carbstrong later added in a statement: 'I bet the pigs can’t sleep at night either in their overcrowded conditions, mourning the loss of their piglets, facing imminent slaughter inside a gas chamber.

'The meat, dairy and egg industries should be scared, because the world is waking up to the truth about these horrific industries.

'They can try to create doubt and perpetuate their humane farm propaganda, but injustice cannot last forever and this movement cannot be stopped.'