Animal rights threats hit Montpellier

SHARES in construction group Montpellier fell by one fifth after shareholders were scared off by letters from animal rights protesters.

Activists are targeting Montpellier, down 4 I/4p at 18p, because it is the main contractor on a centre at Oxford University which will carry out research on primates.

They warned that their campaign would 'send the share price crashing'.

Investors received letters from a Roy Harrison, representing 'Stop the Oxford Torture Lab,' with an address in Bridgnorth, Shropshire.

The letter asked investors to offload their holdings, and warned that if they had not done so in a month their details would be published on the internet.

'This will prompt activity by the animal rights movement to persuade these shareholders to sell,' it added ominously.

A number of small investors in Montpellier, including pensioners, said they had sold their holdings after receiving the letter.

'I have made a big loss. I am retired without much money, but I was scared of what they might do to me,' said one elderly shareholder.

The cars of Montpellier directors have been attacked. At the same time, staff at RMC group, which is supplying a small amount of concrete for the lab, have suffered letter bomb hoaxes and sinister late-night phone calls.

Montpellier shares have halved in a month, partly because of problems revealed by a management review. It was not available for comment.

The City is increasingly worried about radical action groups after a campaign-against animal testing-firm Huntingdon Life Sciences forced it off the London stock market.

Science Minister Lord Sainsbury told the science and technology Select Committee last week that the Government will introduce further legislation to control animal rights protests.