A FAMILY that endured six years of violence, abuse and intimidation at the hands of animal rights extremists admitted defeat yesterday and announced the closure of their farm which bred guinea pigs for medical research.

Extremists targeted suppliers, contractors, delivery firms and the Hall family’s local pub and golf course, until the family was banned from both.

The family suffered firebomb attacks, hate mail, a smear campaign that accused them of being paedophiles, the cutting of power lines to their house, vandalism and destruction of property. In the worst instance the remains of Chris Hall’s mother-in-law, Gladys Hammond, were stolen from the village churchyard last year.

The family, who had run the farm for three decades, admitted defeat. “We hope that, as a result of this announcement, those responsible for removing Gladys’s body will return her so she can lie once again in her rightful resting place,” they said in a statement.

“The business has continued during a sustained protest from animal rights extremists for six years, which included the desecration of her grave. We are planning a return to traditional farming and have no plans to be involved in any way in the breeding of animals for medical or scientific research.”

Police guarded the farm entrance yesterday, but only one protester, John Ablewhite, turned up at the scene. Signs of the disturbance of earth at Mrs Hammond’s grave were still evident, and a wilted pot plant sat in place of the tombstone.

Villagers in Yoxall, Staffordshire, were relieved at Chris and John Halls’ decision. John and Mary Tomlinson, whose daughter is married to Chris Hall’s cousin, Robert, had their cars vandalised. Mrs Tomlinson said: “It’s a relief they are closing down, although it’s the one thing they said they wouldn’t do. My daughter has a brain tumour and this news will bring a smile to her face.”

Her husband, 72, added: “The actions of the extremists have hurt the community and really upset a lot of people. Some have lost their jobs. I don’t know if things will ever return to normal.”

One distant relative of Gladys Hammond, who did not want to be named, said: “It was a terrible act which has caused immense suffering to myself and others who loved her dearly. Gladys had no involvement in guinea pig breeding. There is no reason why her body cannot be returned to those of us who loved her.”

The Rev Jenny Lister, vicar of St Peter’s Church, said she hoped that Mrs Hammond’s body would now be returned. “It was so upsetting for everyone in the village. No one would walk past the grave until we had a service of rededication. It felt like burglars had been in the house, everyone was very shaken up. I hope this means the remains will finally be returned.”

But the Save the Newchurch Guinea Pigs campaign denied any involvement in the grave desecration. A spokeswoman, said: “It’s a great victory for everyone against animal abuse. We want the family to give the guinea pigs to us or to an animal welfare charity.”

A police source said the family had been “agonising” for some time over whether or not to close. Eight people were arrested in connection with the grave desecration but all have been released on police bail.

Staffordshire police set up a unit of 20 detectives and spent more than £2.5 million protecting the farm from protesters, responding to 460 incidents and arresting 60 people since September 1999.

One hundred officers recently searched nearby woodland for the corpse, which has never been recovered, and the grave desecration investigation alone has cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Inspector David Bird, of the force’s environmental protest unit, said: “The closure of Darley Oaks Farm will not affect Staffordshire Police’s commitment to bringing the offenders to justice and returning the body of Mrs Hammond to her family.”

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