VEGETARIAN landlady Cerian Cornel says threats by animal rights campaigners have caused her to temporarily take exotic meat off her menu.

Cerian, 23, has managed the Sun Inn at Lydiard Millicent with her Australian husband Karl, 31, for the past year-and-a-half.

But she has decided to halt the exotic dishes the couple have introduced, such as crocodile, kangaroo and ostrich, after receiving several threatening letters and calls.

She said: "We started celebrating national days such as Australia Day and St George's Day, and word spread about the meats we were offering.

"We started getting letters from an animal rights group, along with an article about us in the newspaper, which were basically saying 'why can't you murder ordinary animals and not exotic animals?'."

Mrs Cornel said threatening telephone calls followed, some in which a voice said "we know about the pub and the people who work there" and some which were silent.

Cricklade police are now following a number of leads after the incidents were reported to them.

Cerian added: "I know the intention of all this is intimidation, and to some extent it has had that effect. We are refusing to let it get to us but until the situation has been resolved we have not to put some specials on the board for the safety of us, our staff and customers.

"What the animal rights people fail to acknowledge is that the animals we have been offering are all specially farmed for the purpose and treated like cows and sheep. We don't go out and kill at will, we use a supplier based in Bristol."

The pub is now offering more traditional fayre such as fish and steak and kidney pie.

Nick Smith, profit and improvement manager at Asda Wal-Mart, said: "We don't stock exotic meats. The most unusual line we have is shark meat and even that isn't considered too exotic nowadays. I'm not aware of having received any contact from animal rights campaigners."

Sainsbury's, in Bridgemead, West Swindon, stocks game and venison steaks in its more exotic range, but recently withdrew its line of ostrich steaks due to lack of demand.

Manager Kevin Smith said: "Companies should listen to their customers' feedback. We haven't had any calls from animal rights groups."

Nathan Neate, customer services manager at Tesco, in Ocotal Way, Gorse Hill, reported similar disinterest in exotic meats. He said: "We sell veal, and experimented with ostrich awhile back, but don't stock it any longer. I haven't heard from any activists. If we did the matter would be passed on to head office."

Marilyn Harrison, spokeswoman for Swindon Animal Concern, said: "If we see exotic meat being advertised we do send out information letters to let people know how these animals are killed. Some people don't realise the cruelty involved and most people stop selling these meats as soon as they find out.

"We never mean to intimidate people and I always sign the letter, stating it comes from Swindon Animal Concern."