Animal rights activists filled the meat aisles of two supermarkets in the county as part of a county-wide protest about the slaughtering of lambs for Easter.

Four Canterbury-based supporters of Animal Rebellion occupied the meat aisles at Sainsbury's and Waitrose in the city centre between 1pm and 3.30pm.

Carrying mock Mail on Sunday front pages sporting provocative headlines such as ‘Nation of Animal Lovers Eat Baby Sheep in Odd Annual Easter Ritual’, it is believed the protest remained peaceful.

Student Chris Chudley was part of the group who attended the sit-in in the city supermarkets and is urging people to "talk about the broken relationship we have with the natural world".

"This year we urgently need to talk about the broken relationship we have with other animals and the natural world," said the student.

"Reforming this is critical if we are all to come together and build a better world.

“This Easter we are asking people to fully embrace their animal-loving values by supporting a Plant-Based Future.

"Unfortunately, we currently live in contradiction of these values by eating animals, but never more so than at Easter."

Canterbury is not the only city to be targeted by the activists, with Newcastle, Norwich and Birmingham supermarkets also being occupied.

The mock newspapers are believed to be a response to a previous Mail on Sunday’s front page, which was an investigation into the group.

Members of Animal Rebellion have said this will be the last day of action before the protest group takes a new direction, relaunching with a plan to disrupt the Grand National.

In a press release, the movement said: "In a coordinated mass action, individuals from the climate and animal group Animal Rebellion occupied the supermarket meat aisles of Sainsbury’s and Waitrose in Canterbury. Several similar actions have also taken place across the UK

"Animal Rebellion is urging wholesale governmental and societal support for farmers and fishing communities to transition to a plant-based food system and programme of rewilding that will secure a future for generations to come."