Morrissey: We'll get you

Singer Morrissey has branded Oxford the 'shame of England' for allowing a controversial new animal testing laboratory in the city.

The former frontman of The Smiths warned laboratory workers 'we will get you' during a concert in the city to promote his new album.

The 47-year-old, who is a strict vegan and animal rights activist, also told his fans: 'If you agree with vivisection, go and be vivisected upon yourself.'

It is not the first time the outspoken singer has courted controversy on the issue - earlier this year he claimed violence was the only language-laboratory scientists understand-Oxford-based anti-animal testing group Speak was invited personally by the singer to run a stall at the concert, exposing the fate of the animals that will be tested on at the Oxford University laboratory. A Speak spokesman said that, although the group did not condone violence, they were pleased Morrissey had raised awareness of the issue.

He added: 'We need to talk about the violence being committed upon animals. I applaud the fact that Morrissey's been brave enough to stand up and say what he thinks.

'I suspect when he said "we will get you" he wasn't talking about violence at all, but about exposing these people for what they do.'

Last week, Oxford University won a legal appeal to extend an exclusion zone around the £20million biomedical centre to keep demonstrators away from the building site.