EURO MP Mark Watts is asking his colleagues to adopt a new law which would end long distance journeys for live animals and see the end of live exports through Dover.

Mr Watts is putting an amendment to the Directive on Live Animal Transport to the vote at the European Parliament next week.

He has been campaigning for many years to bring a halt to long-distance transport of animals.

Mr Watts stressed: "Current EU rules are widely considered to be unenforceable and scientific evidence shows that the longer the journey goes on, the more the animals suffer.

“The UK exports more than 600,000 lambs and sheep a year. Many pass through the port of Dover, en route to Italy, Spain and Greece. Journeys to Italy can take 50 hours, and those to Greece between 70 and 90 hours.

“I am campaigning for the live trade to be replaced by a carcass trade and for an overall journey time limit of nine hours on live animal transport to be introduced.”

He is calling on his Tory, Lib Dem, Green, and Independent Euro MPs to back him.

“It is time for MEPs to show their mettle when they debate and vote next week in the Transport Committe, then in the full Parliament in March,” he said. “This issue has been around too long. The time for talk is over. It is now time to act.”