A YORK student has stirred outrage among animal lovers and police by vowing to drop a mouse 25ft from the university's Central Hall to prove a scientific theory following a pub argument with friends.

Sam Ward, 21, was ordered to attend York Police Station today after officers received complaints about the stunt, which is due to take place at 2pm on Saturday.

Chief Supt John Lacy and PC Rebecca Waddington, wildlife liaison officer, will warn Sam that he could face prosecution under the 1911 Protection of Animals Act if he goes ahead with the "distasteful" experiment, with a possible six month prison sentence and £5,000 fine.

Chief Supt Lacy told the Evening Press today: "The police take a dim view of any actions or experiments like this, especially given the animal is a domestic pet. Sadly, all we can do is warn him."

The English and philosophy student hopes to prove that the speed the mouse would reach as it fell through the air would be low enough for it to survive. His friends disagree with his theory that the large surface area of a mouse, combined with its low weight, will allow it to "float" to the ground.

"I genuinely think it will survive," Sam said. "I've heard that there have been heated and angry debates in some seminar groups."

A mouse called Pebbles has been bought for the stunt, which will be filmed by the University's Cinematography Society.

If he is banned from conducting the test on campus, Sam has vowed to carry it out elsewhere, possibly York Minster.

Dr Richard Keesing, of the University's physics department, said he is doubtful as to whether Sam has done his calculations properly.

"It is not something you can just simply play with," he said.

York University Students' Union, which contacted the police as uproar among staff and student grew, said that it "in no way condones" Sam's actions.

Hilary Layton, head of communications for the university, said staff would ensure that the drop would not go ahead.

RSPCA spokeswoman Heather Holmes confirmed that the organisation would take action against Sam if they received complaints that the mouse had suffered physical or psychological harm.

"He needs to consider whether what he is doing is acceptable and I would say it is cruel and callous. There is no way you can dress it up as a scientific experiment," she said.

Updated: 10:48 Wednesday, November 26, 2003