Police have been called to a Norfolk abattoir where anti-meat demonstrators are staging a protest above one of the slaughterhouses.

The group, led by an activist and filmmaker known as Joey Carbstrong, entered the Cranswick food facility at Brandon Road, Watton, earlier today and are occupying an elevated area in one of the buildings.

Police say they were called shortly after 6am.

Mr Carbstrong has made a documentary film, Pigorant, highlighting what he considers unethical practices in the UK pig industry.

He has shared a video clip of him and others at the Watton plant this morning. 

Watton & Swaffham Times: Cranswick Country Foods in WattonCranswick Country Foods in Watton (Image: Google)

In it, he said: “We’re currently occupying the Cranswick Watton gas chamber.”

He held a banner reading “They fight to escape the gas”, with a photo of a caged pig, in the video clip.

Cranswick Country Foods describes its Watton site on its website as “our dedicated processing facility in Norfolk, producing fresh pork, sausages and added value meal solutions”.

A spokesman for Cranswick Country Foods said: "There is an ongoing criminal incident taking place at the Cranswick site in Watton, Norfolk and as such, we are unable to comment at this stage.”

A spokesman for Norfolk Police said: "Police are currently on scene dealing with an incident in Watton this morning.

"Officers were called following reports of a number of protestors had gained entry to a food facility at 6.07am."