A shop which sold rabbit fur has been damaged in a suspected animal rights attack in Brighton.

Four windows were smashed at Southern Handicrafts in the North Laine area last night, causing hundreds of pounds' damage.

The store has received threats from activists in the past few weeks after it started stocking small rabbit furs.

Sheila Slaughter, who is managing the store in Kensington Gardens for her son while he takes a holiday, said sales of the pelts were halted to avoid causing offence.

She said: "There is nothing in the shop offensive to animal rights. We had some coney furs which are from small Spanish rabbits.

"After stocking them we had threats through the door saying things like 'animal killers' and we had people being abusive in the store. We tried to explain the furs were by-products and the animals were not killed to be put in our shop.

"However, so as not to offend anyone, we withdrew them from sale more than a week ago. If they had done their homework, they would have found this out.

"These people are not worried about animal rights. They are just mindlessly going around smashing up people's property."