whippet wins top trophy amid animal rights protest

An intruder stormed the arena last night as the winner of the Crufts dog show was announced on live television.

The male intruder, who was named by Crufts organisers as a protester from the animal rights group Peta, was wrestled to the ground in the middle of the show arena, the NEC in Birmingham.

Owner Yvette Short, of Edinburgh, had proudly stepped up to the podium with her Best In Show winner – a two-and-a-half-year-old whippet bitch called Tease, left,– when the intruder sprinted on to the scene.

Ms Short quickly grabbed Tease as several men ran down and cornered the protester in front of the live audience who began to boo.

Crufts and the NEC Group said they are to review security procedures as “a matter of urgency”.

Peta UK later claimed activists were protesting against extreme breeding.

Picture: PA.