CAMPAIGNERS from the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) visited Bristol as part of a new national campaign.

Supporters were invited to College Green to discuss the new campaign, which calls for a commitment to replace animal experiments with more sophisticated alternatives under the banner "Cutting Edge, Not Knife Edge".

A billboard van used as part of the campaign contrasted the latest human brain imaging research with invasive experiments on monkeys.

The new campaign coincides with the government considering its biggest overhaul on animal experiments for 25 years.

Jan Creamer, chief executive of the NAVS, said: "This year the UK will begin the first major revision of animal experimentation rules in over 25 years. We say this is an ideal opportunity for the government to seriously commit to the implementation of sophisticated replacements for animal experiments which advance science whilst ending animal suffering."

Labour's Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy visited the NAVS team.

She said: "It's really important that we make more progress on ending unnecessary testing on animals and reducing the number of animal experiments that are carried out. This EU legislation is a significant step forward, and we should all be urging the British government to implement it in full, and as soon as possible so that we can save thousands of animals from cruel and unnecessary suffering."