AN ANIMAL rights charity has claimed plans to have reindeer at Harrogate’s Christmas market are “cruel and dangerous”.

PETA campaign co-ordinator Kirsty Henderson has sent a letter to the organising committee for the market, which takes place between November 27 and 30 in the Montpellier quarter, urging it to cancel the plans. She claimed the animals could be stressed and “run amok”.

But market organiser Brian Dunsby claimed the criticisms were ‘”absolute rubbish”, saying the reindeer being used were farm bred and used to being among people. He said they had featured safely at the market for the past two years, and children loved seeing them.