Animal rights campaigners staged a protest today outside a Morrisions branch calling for higher welfare standards for chickens.

The group Open Cages is campaigning for retailers to stop selling what it describes as 'Frankenchickens' and today they have targeted a supermarket in Strood as part of its ongoing battle.

Protestors claim Morrisons, one of the largest grocery chains in the country, sells birds which are bred to be specially fast-growing which can leave them deformed.

The campaign coincides with Morrisons launching a small range of chicken reared to higher welfare standards. Campaigners have condemned this as a "cheap gesture".

Connor Jackson, CEO of Open Cages, said: “Don’t be fooled by the cheap gestures and PR spin. For years now Morrisons has sat on their hands and done the absolute minimum possible to improve chicken welfare, whilst pedalling out feel good marketing campaigns and wearing only the costume of a company that cares about animals.

“Morrisons say they never tolerate malpractice in their supply chain, but this has nothing to do with malpractice. Around 30% of Frankenchickens can barely walk because of painful lameness and deformities. Millions of these monstrous birds die from heart attacks because they can’t handle growing 400% faster than natural, millions more have their necks broken to simply put them out of their misery. These are the expected consequences of the poor welfare standards that Morrisons has chosen.”

The supermarket's management dismiss their claims, insisting it adheres to high standards of welfare in its supply chain.

A Morrisons spokesman said: "We care deeply about animal welfare. All our regular chicken is raised to above Red Tractor standards.

"We are also the only retailer in Europe to ask our fresh chicken suppliers to require chicken to be born into the barn in which it will be raised by 2025. 80% of our fresh chicken meets this standard already.

"We also actively monitor for any malpractice in our supply chain, we will never tolerate it or look the other way and if we ever find it, we will act swiftly and decisively."