London: Months after firefighters rescued a litter of piglets from a burning barn, a farm has thanked them for their work by sending them the same pigs - in the form of sausages.

Although the gift may have seemed like an appropriate gesture, it has been criticised by animal rights campaigners who have forced the firefighters to delete a post thanking the farmer and praising her sausages.

Firefighters battle a barn fire in Milton Lilbourne, England, in February 2017, rescuing 18 piglets and two sows, which the farmer later killed and fed to the rescuers as sausages. Credit:Facebook Pewsey Fire Station

The fire crew had battled a blaze at the farm, in Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire, six months ago, and they managed to save 18 two-week-old piglets and two sows from the flames, which destroyed 60 tonnes of hay.

Rachel Rivers, from organic Lawn Farm, repaid their bravery with the gift of sausages, which the crew barbecued on Monday.