Savlon cleared from shelves in animal rights activists' poisoning scare

High street shops, including Boots and Superdrug, acted after a hardline group claimed to have tampered with more than 250 items containing the antiseptic.

The Animal Rights Militia did not say how they had been damaged but it recently claimed to have injected bleach into products in France.

Tesco said it had temporarily withdrawn Savlon and would be working closely with police before it was put back on sale.

The extremists said they had also targeted "other well-known stores" as part of a continuing campaign against the animal testing laboratory Huntingdon Life Sciences.

An internet message said they chose Savlon because its Swiss-based manufacturer, Novartis, is believed to be among the clients of HLS.

The message warned: "We don't want to kill living beings but the side-effects and the inevitable hospital stay will give people an idea of what Novartis pays for inside Huntingdon Life Sciences."

Up to 200,000 tubes and bottles of the antiseptic - predominantly used to treat children - are sold in the UK every week. They are stocked by all major supermarkets.

Last night officers from the National Coordinator for Domestic Extremism said they had launched a nationwide investigation and were liaising with stores.

A source said: "The threat is being taken very seriously."

A spokesman for Boots said it had acted immediately after being made aware of the threat and had put in place detailed plans devised in the eventuality of such attacks.

He said: "We want to reassure customers that their safety is our number one priority and therefore we have taken the decision to withdraw all Savlon products nationwide until we can investigate further and eliminate the possibility of any threat."

Last night Novartis said that it was contacting all the retailers it supplies, believed to include Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's.

The firm said: "The company takes this very seriously and is in close contact with the police.

"As with any self-medication product, consumers should examine the package carefully before opening, and avoid using the contents of any pack if the seal or packaging has been interfered with or damaged."

A spokesman for Huntingdon Life Sciences called the latest tactic a "distressing" new development, as it seemed to be targeted at parents and young children.

The withdrawal of Savlon comes three months after animal rights militants in Britain and on the Continent were arrested in the largest police operation of its kind, following a two-year investigation into a network alleged to have waged a campaign of terror against organisations and individuals involved with animal testing.

Members of the public who are concerned should contact the Novartis Consumer Care Helpline on 0800 1777132 for further information.

Customers who have recently bought Savlon from Boots and are concerned about their safety should return the product to their nearest shop or contact the company's customer care line on 0845 0708090.