CULT singer Morrissey has waded into the controversy over the new Oxford animal research laboratory by warning those working on the site "we'll get you."

The singer, pictured, used a concert at the city's New Theatre last week to hit out at the £20m biomedical research laboratory site currently under construction.

He branded Oxford "the shame of England'' for allowing the centre and told fans: "If you agree with vivisection, go and be vivisected upon yourself.'' A spokesman for the vegetarian former Smiths frontman and animal-rights activist confirmed he had made the comments.

As reported yesterday, teenage campaigner Laurie Pycroft has welcomed a poll, which showed public support for medical testing on animals was on the increase. The survey by YouGov showed seven in 10 people back live medical experiments, with high-profile campaigns, such as intimidating scientists and threatening shareholders in pharmaceutical companies, backfiring.

Laurie, 16, of Swindon, is a founder member of the group Pro-Test, a student group in favour of animal-based scientific research.