A poultry farmer who received death threats has thanked the 'vegan mafia' for helping him to sell out of Christmas turkeys.

Farmer Matt Carter, 35, has been selling 25 birds a day since the attacks at the beginning of November - compared to the usual one or two.

The farm has also entirely sold out of its free-range birds - doubling sales on the previous year.

“People have wanted to support us and the story has made some people realise we sell turkeysready for Christmas,” he told the Exmouth Journal.

“We’re really proud of our response, it attracted a lot of negative attention but we’re proud of sticking to our principles. Changing our habits due to the pressure was never on the table.”

Mr Carter, of Greendale Farm Shop, provoked the ire of vegan activists when he posted a promotion on Facebook that would allow customers to name and care for their Christmas turkey before it was taken to slaughter.

The post went viral and his staff received death threats from vegan campaigners calling them 'twisted', 'psychopathic' and 'murderers'.

The shop, near Exeter, was spraypainted with graffiti that read 'Murda! Go Vegan' while customers were also targeted by the activists. One woman phoned to explain she had taken down a positive review after being personally threatened.