VEGAN activists took over the aisles of a supermarket to protest about the selling and buying of turkeys.

Animal welfare group Brighton Vegan Activists (BVA) were in Lidl in Arundel Road in Brighton on Sunday.

Members questioned the ethical standards of the supermarket and asked customers to think twice about buying a turkey this Christmas.

They said their main aim was to target Lidl for selling turkeys they believe to have been raised in cruel conditions.

Ten activists demonstrated for an hour inside the supermarket showing gory videos of farmed turkeys to encourage sympathy for the birds.

A BVA spokesman said: “We exposed footage of turkey farming to debunk Lidl’s Christmas advert about the high welfare standards.

“Lidl assure their turkeys are RSCPA approved.

“But undercover investigations just last year proved ‘RSPCA approved’ to not mean anything for the welfare of the animals.

“Many turkey farms were investigated and found to be in violation of animal welfare laws and the animals were in awful conditions. These labels don’t mean anything for the animals.”

He said the public were responsive and following discussions of the meat and dairy industry and some people went back to look at vegan alternatives.

One of the activists said: “With Christmas practically around the corner along with fairy lights and presents I can’t help but think about all the animals who are suffering and will end up slaughtered for Christmas dinners.

“When I heard about Lidl proudly advertising dead turkeys as RSPCA approved I was upset.

“I had some great conversations with the public. I was especially touched by a father who brought his children over to watch the footage of what the turkeys go through.

“It was amazing to see parents who are not hiding the truth from their children but instead showing them.

“He explained that they as a family were trying to move away from eating animals and animal products because of how the animals are hurt, how the environment is damaged and for their personal health too.”

The activists said their main focus was on turkeys given the time of year and the fact that ten million turkeys were killed for Christmas last year in the UK alone.

A Lidl spokesman said: "We take the matter of animal welfare very seriously and are committed to maintaining welfare standards in our supply chain.

"We were therefore extremely concerned to learn that misleading materials and unsubstantiated claims were being shared with our customers.

"It’s disappointing that we were not given the opportunity to positively engage prior to action being taken in the store, which resulted in considerable disruption to our customers."