ANIMAL rights protesters have expressed their dismay at the cancellation of York Cancer Care Haven's official opening amid security fears prompted by the Barry Horne animal rights protest.

Nicola Hall, who came forward as a spokesperson for York Animal Aid, said: "I have spoken to York Against Cancer to tell them how upset we are about all of this.

"We weren't aware that the opening was going to happen at all and the first we knew of it was when it was cancelled.

"We have never had an ethical problem with this charity and fully support them, we would have liked the opening to have gone ahead."

Her comments came as an Evening Press phone poll revealed a massive vote against keeping animal rights protester Barry Horne in an NHS bed any longer.

In one of the biggest responses yet to any phone poll run by this paper, 1,211 people called to say he should not remain in his health service bed. A further 207 said he should stay.

Philip Mackley, the charity's honorary administrator, who today finished the task of sending out cancellation letters to more than 400 guests, said: "She is saying her organisation is very upset but the question is which organisation is she speaking on behalf of ?"

Phone calls flooded into the York Against Cancer charity after it was forced to postpone the official opening.

Mr Mackley said: "We had invited up to 400 people who had paid for Christmas tree lights for deceased friends.

"They were expecting to stand around the tree and sing Christmas carols."

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, has joined the ranks of those calling on Horne to end his protest.

Writing to the Rev Father James Thompson, of Flintshire, who has backed the hunger strike, Dr Hope said he had "very considerable sympathy" with

Horne's cause, but added he did not believe he should use his influence to approach the Prime Minister or the Home Office.

He said: "Mr Horne has made his decision of his own free will. He is an entirely morally free agent in so doing.

"Every effort should be made to persuade him now to withdraw, even at this very late stage, from his hunger strike and instead pursue those channels of peaceful political lobbying and protest which are open to us all."

But Ryedale Tory MP John Greenway backed Dr Hope, saying: "It's time to call it a day, he's made his point."

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