Author Dr Vernon Coleman is taking the Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police to court after an animal rights demonstration was banned.

Dr Coleman was due to speak at a rally in Witney on July 11 organised by Save the Hillgrove Cats campaigners.

They are trying to close nearby Hillgrove Farm, which breeds cats for experi- ments.

But police, backed by Home Secretary Jack Straw, imposed a five-mile exclusion zone to keep protesters out of the town and prevent problems for families attending the town's annual carnival the same day.

Now Dr Coleman, an outspoken critic of vivisection, has issued a summons against Chief Constable Charles Pollard claiming reimbursement of travelling expenses - the £99.80 in rail fares for his abortive trip. Dr Coleman claims that, had the ban been made public when it was granted and not the next day, he would not have travelled to Witney and would not have incurred the expenses.

He said at the time: "I am not happy at being banned from criticising the Government in public. It seemed to me a pretty heavy-handed infringement of my freedom to speak."

The case is due to be heard before a judge at Oxford County Court on Monday, December 7, at 10am.

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