Comedian Bill Bailey has taken part in a protest organised by a Sussex animal charity against the illegal killing of dogs in India.

He and other members of International Animal Rescue (IAR), which is based in Uckfield, demonstrated outside the Indian High Commission in London to raise awareness of the commonplace practice to stop the spread of rabies.

Mr Bailey, who brought along his own two rescue dogs with him, joined around 40 other demonstrators in handing out leaflets to members of the public and travellers to India who were queuing for visas.

Alan Knight, chief executive officer of IAR, also presented a letter to the High Commissioner, asking him to intervene and stop the killing of dogs and instead implement a proper programme of sterilisation and vaccination.

Mr Knight said: "We're extremely grateful to Bill for finding time to join our protest. Just by turning up with his own much-loved pets that were once struggling to survive on the streets of Bali is a message in itself to the Indian government.

"Animal lovers in the UK and around the world, many of whom travel to India, will not tolerate the senseless suffering being inflicted on the animals in Kerala."