More than 50 campaigners formed a blockade to stop live animal export lorries reaching a ship bound for Calais last night.

They staged the protest at Ramsgate Port as the first shipment of livestock left the harbour since 2015.

People were sitting in Harbour Approach Road at around 8.30pm to stop the lorries passing through until they were moved on by police 10 minutes later.

Campaigners also gathered around the lorries chanting at the drivers and shouting at them, saying that they had blood on their hands.

The four lorries were loaded on to the Joline, the ship used to transport livestock from Ramsgate Port, and it had left by 9.30pm.

Former Thanet councillor and co-founder of the anti-live exports campaign Ian Driver said: "It made me feel sick to witness the cramped and squalid conditions these animals are forced to endure.

"To get to Ramsgate these animals had already travelled for many hours, on one of the hottest days of the year, with limited access to food and water in lorries awash with urine and excrement.

"Once in Calais they then face many more hours of traveling in these appalling conditions.

"It angers to me think that in the 21st century we continue to treat animals with medieval barbarity.

"It angers me even more to think that the taxpayers of Thanet have had to pay the exporters almost £5m compensation for banning their trade for five weeks in 2012.

"In my opinion the compensation was blood money".