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Animal rights protesters have come underfire for leaving vile messages outside a butcher's shop - including one which wished CANCER on his family.

But Nick Rapps is refusing to let the sick insults grind him down, although he admitted they 'turned his stomach a bit'.

The 35-year-old's business - Molesworths Family Butchers in Frampton Cotterell, South Gloucestershire - was targeted by campaigners telling him to "rot in hell".

The attack on Friday came less than 24 hours before a big animal rights protest in nearby Bristol.

Dad-of-one Nick, who has run the butchers store for three years, is refusing to give the protesters what they want by getting upset over the signs.

(Image: Jake McPherson / SWNS)

And he says he remains "sympathetic" and "understanding" to the vegan lifestyle.

Nick, from Bristol, said: "I've got quite thick skin, I can take criticism. You've kind of got to expect it in our trade.

"I take the approach of I can't get upset, because that is exactly what they want.

"The funny thing is, out of all the people they could have targeted, I'm probably the one person who is most sympathetic to that lifestyle.

"I've always worked in places where the meat has been ethically-sourced - it's not at all massproduced.

(Image: Jake McPherson / SWNS)

"If these people want to have a conversation with me about that side of things, I'm actually a very understanding person."

But Nick, who has a three-year-old son, added: "What did turn my stomach a bit was the cancer sign. I've got quite a young family, so that was a bit much.

"Two members of my family also died quite young from cancer. It's really offensive to cancer survivors.

"The thought process just isn't there. They've obviously just written the most offensive thing they could, just to get a reaction.

"But whatever it was intended to do, it has done the opposite," he said.

(Image: Jake McPherson / SWNS)

Nick said the "odd" attack also overshadowed his 35th birthday on Sunday.

The Vegan Society said it did not support insults, and encouraged vegans to share a peaceful message.

The society told the BBC that "veganism is based on kindness and compassion", and that "any extremists are not representative of the movement".

It added: "As much as we sympathise with the activists who allegedly put up the signs, we do not consider this approach to be an effective way to promote veganism as an ethics-driven lifestyle."