Animal rights campaigners trying to close a cat breeding farm near Witney have agreed to meet police to discuss future demonstrations.

The cost of policing protests at Hillgrove Farm, in Dry Lane, Minster Lovell, has now risen to £1.25m.

On Saturday, activists were legally prevented from demonstrating at the farm, and switched their protest to Oxford city centre at the last minute.

After a demonstration on September 6, police appealed to demonstrators to meet them, to discuss how both parties would approach future events. Heather James, of the Save the Hillgrove Cats Campaign, said at the time there was no point. But group leaders have now changed their mind, and issued a statement agreeing to sit at the negotiating table with senior officers.

It said: "In spite of the inflammatory attitude and extreme bad faith shown by Thames Valley Police, we are still willing to meet them."

Thames Valley Police spokesman Richard Goodfellow said he was pleased that demonstrators had agreed to a meeting but a date for talks hasn't yet been set.

He said: "This will help lawful, peaceful protests and in the long run will help us to try to reduce police numbers at these demonstrations.

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