A film of animals allegedly being abused in an Oxford University laboratory, supposedly in the name of medical research, will be shown to MPs in the Commons tonight, writes Bill Jacobs.

It is claimed a secret video shows the horrific scene of a lab technician at the John Radcliffe Hospital killing a mouse for fun by smashing its head against a bench.

He then turns to the hidden camera and says with a grin: "That's well and truly dead. He won't get up. I've mashed his head in."

It is just one of several similar scenes from seven laboratories and three breeding establishments in the film "Unlock the Labs" made by pressure group Animal Defenders. The Labour MP hosting tonight's Westminster showing of the video, Vernon Coaker, condemned the activities at Oxford and elsewhere as "totally unacceptable".

He is joining Animal Defenders and the national Anti-Vivisection Society in demanding a national debate on animal experiments. Mr Coaker said: "What we need to do is open up what happens in these labs. The killing of the mouse at Oxford, apparently just for fun, was totally unacceptable. It had no place in a scientific experiment, even if such an experiment were justified in the first place

"How can we find out what is going on if we don't know what is happening in the labs?

"The Government has tightened up the rules on such experiments but it is clear from this video that they are being ignored.

"I want an informed public debate on what experiments should go ahead rather than just scientists taking the decision. And we need action to make sure this sort of thing does not continue." Mr Coaker said there were similar incidents filmed at other laboratories and it was quite clear the animals were not being properly looked after, occasionally hurt for fun and then killed when no longer wanted.

Animal Defenders also claim to have filmed holes being punched in rodents' ears, and toes and tail tips being removed without anaesthetic. They also claim that rodents no longer wanted were gassed or had their necks wrung.

A University spokesman said: "Until we have had an opportunity to study the evidence we cannot comment on the material in this film."

She said that if rules had been broken, action would be taken and there would be a review of internal controls.

"The University takes animal welfare extremely seriously," she said.

Story date: Wednesday 24 November

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