ONE of two farms filmed undercover by an animal welfare group apparently showing the mistreatment of pigs has been suspended from the RSPCA’s food labelling scheme.

The charity was last week shown footage filmed by Animal Equality action group of the Little Thorns weaner unit, near Swaffham, and The Piggery at Didlington, near Mundford, both managed by the East Anglian Pig Company (EAP).

While the RSPCA earlier this week said it was working with both farms to address the issues, which included pigs being kicked and hit, it has since suspended Little Thorns from its Freedom Foods scheme, which imposes compulsory welfare standards on farms.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “Further enquires have revealed that some of the footage is thought to include pigs under the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme. In the light of this development Freedom Food has immediately suspended The Little Thorns unit from the scheme while investigations continue.”

It was initially believed the footage largely contained images from The Piggery at Didlington, which is not approved by the scheme.

An EAP spokesman said it was carrying out a full internal investigation into the handling of livestock.

The RSPCA also raised concerns that the footage was filmed some four months before being handed over.