Oxford News
PETA petition against Oxfordshire chicken breeder farm plan
A petition from campaign group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), signed by more than 13,000 people, has urged West Oxfordshire District Council to reject the proposed site in Bampton.
PETA says the farm would cause cruelty to animals on a massive scale and pose serious environmental risks.
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Kate Werner, senior campaigns manager at PETA, said: “Thousands of compassionate people have spoken, and West Oxfordshire District Council must heed the concerns of its constituents and the general public over animal suffering, the environment, and the health of the community.
“PETA is calling for this plan to be scrapped to spare birds from a lifetime of suffering and a terrifying death.”
The group claims the facility would generate large volumes of manure and pollutants, especially ammonia, which could harm the surrounding environment.
PETA also argues the farm would “condemn nearly 40,000 gentle birds at a time to a life of misery” and contribute to wider animal welfare and public health concerns.
The organisation describes chickens as “social and sensitive individuals” who value their lives.
It says those kept for breeding are used as “egg-laying machines” and discarded or killed after around 40 weeks.
Chickens raised for meat are bred to grow rapidly, often suffering leg collapse under their weight.
The slaughter process, PETA says, involves being shackled upside down, their throats are slit, and they’re scalded in defeathering tanks, sometimes while still conscious.
PETA also warns that such intensive farming operations increase the risk of infectious disease.
Crowding stressed animals into confined, unsanitary conditions can foster the spread of pathogens, as evidenced by the recent bird flu outbreak in the area.
The group’s petition suggests that farms like the proposed site not only pose a threat to animal welfare but could also endanger public health by creating breeding grounds for illnesses that can transfer from animals to humans.
A planning application for the broiler breeder farm was submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council by P D Hook Group Limited in April.
If successful, they would build four new poultry houses at the site just north of Bampton with housing for approximately 36,000 female birds plus males, with 9,000 female birds in each house.
Deanery Farm, near to the Oxfordshire village, was purchased by P D Hook Group, a leading UK poultry breeder and rearer, in 2023.
The cover letter for the application states: “The UK Industry is short of broiler breeder farms, and consequently hatching eggs.
“The investment in broiler breeder farms is of significant importance for food security and ensuring there is a resilient and sustainable supply of UK produced hatching eggs to meet demand for the domestic market.”
Young Sherlock, a British mystery television series, will see Hero Fiennes Tiffin return as the titular character.
A Georgian Square in Bristol is being transformed back to the Victorian era ‘Oxford’ ahead of the filming of the second series.
The series, first aired in March this year, is inspired by Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes book series.
It was created by Matthew Parkhill and developed by Peter Harness and Guy Ritchie, who also directed two episodes.
Other main cast members returning include Dónal Finn (James Moriarty), Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, and Holly Cattle, who play Sherlock’s family members.
The series synopsis reveals: “As a 19-year-old at Oxford University, Sherlock Holmes is not yet the master detective he grows up to be.
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“He is raw and unfiltered, and he lacks discipline.
“A murder at Oxford puts Holmes’s freedom at risk, and he sets out to solve his first murder mystery that leads him to a global-level conspiracy.”
Young Sherlock received praise upon its release, and its 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes reflects that.
The critics’ consensus on the reviewing platform reads: “Young Sherlock doesn’t aim to recreate Conan Doyle’s work; rather, it takes pride in its liberal adaptation, delivering Guy Ritchie’s signature blend of precise entertainment, sly style, and ingratiating characters.”
One critic said: “Prime Video’s Young Sherlock is sensational.
“The series, which was adapted by Matthew Parkhill, remixes the beloved figure to deliver all the traits fans know and love — with more than one twist.”
Young Sherlock is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.
Traffic was halted on the major trunk motorway at about midday on Friday, August 7, because of a serious collision.
Cars were stopped and diverted before junction 10 with Ardley heading northbound on the motorway, before junction 11 with Banbury, and drivers travelling southbound were also stopped to allow an air ambulance to land.
READ MORE: M40 closed with two hour delays due to ‘serious’ crash
Cars experienced delays in excess of two hours on the northbound approach, with six miles of congestion reported, as well as significant delays on the A34 towards the Wendlebury Interchange and junction with the M40.
Thames Valley Police has been approached for more information on what happened but has not provided a response.
The motorway had reopened by about 3pm but residual delays remained for much of the afternoon.
Thames Valley Police’s rural crime taskforce, which frequently patrols the countryside across the north of Oxfordshire, have now revealed its officers were the first on the scene.
A spokesperson said they provided ‘an immediate response and support to those invovled’ and it is understood other emergency responders subsequently attended the scene.
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The officers also dealt with a stolen car in Kidlington and seized a van with no insurance whose driver had no licence.
In Chieveley, the taskforce arrested a driver on suspicion of possession of class A and class B drugs and driving whilst unfit through drugs, without a licence and without insurance.
It was described as a ‘proactive day highlighting the wide range of incidents Rural Crime Taskforce officers respond to across the force area’ by the team.
Environmental charity Earth Trust shared a video of the remnants of a barbecue still smouldering and surrounded by litter and burnt wood at historic chalk beech mounds the Wittenham Clumps in South Oxfordshire.
The fire, discovered on Friday, August 8, came just a day after the charity warned people about the dangers of barbecues at the green space during the extreme drought the county is facing, as ‘a single spark could develop into a wildfire’.
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A spokesperson for Earth Trust said: “The reality is that one small fire could easily burn through the whole of the Clumps and Bessie’s Field grasslands.
“It could spread into the hedgerows, damage the woodlands, and cause real, lasting harm to the archaeology of Castle Hill.
“A disposable BBQ might look harmless. A few glowing embers might seem like nothing. But in dry grassland, that is all it takes.
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“Please do not bring BBQs or light fires at the Clumps or any of our nature reserves. Take your litter home. Leave no trace.
“If you see vegetation on fire, no matter how small, call 999 immediately and ask for the fire service. Do not put yourself at risk.”
People are asked to bring picnics instead, take all litter home, leave no trace on the landscape and report any signs of fire immediately to protect the iconic landscape.
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