THE anti-vivisection group targeting Huntingdon Life Sciences has postponed its "naming and shaming" nationwide tour to next Monday to give shareholders more time to notify them that they have sold their stake in the company.

The group said it had received notification of sale from 250 private investors after mailing 1,700 of them last week warning they would carry out 24-hour protests outside their homes if they did not sell their interest. One of the activists, Peter Ward, said: "It's just that we wanted to give people who sympathise with us every opportunity to sell their shares."

He said the group had received numerous replies from shareholders who wanted to sell but had not been able to do so quickly enough to meet its original deadline, April 3. Mr Ward confirmed his tour would now begin on April 10 before a larger series of regional demonstrations culminate in a mass protest outside Huntingdon's headquarters later this month.

Bob Cass, managing director of Huntingdon, has advised shareholders to pass on the letters to the Hertfordshire police.