MOBILE slaughtermen facing a crackdown on their profession this week received a boost from local MPs.

Rules introduced in 1995 declared slaughtering of animals outside licensed slaughterhouses unsafe. But mobile slaughtermen have continued practising in a legal ?grey area?, due to different interpretations of a private slaughter.

West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett said he was in touch with the constituents involved and would be doing all he could to help them.

Mr Burnett said: ?There is discussion about this problem and steps must be taken to make sure we scrutinise far more carefully, vigorously and critically the huge amount of regulations that come out of the European Community,?

Colin Breed, MP for South East Cornwall, said he would like to see the mobile slaughtermen allowed to continue offering their service.

He said: ?It is the best common-sense answer to many farmers? and livestock owners? needs?.

?Mobile slaughtermen are essential to many livestock owners. For them, they provide a compassionate, humane, safe and skilful service.?

Recent guidelines issued by the Food Standards Agency have encouraged a crackdown by local authorities.

West Devon Borough Council won a court case last year against mobile butcher Kevin Pescott, of Lifton.

He said it was not just slaughtermen who wanted the situation sorted out.

?The farmers want to see something done, especially as to whose property the meat is,? he said.

Mr Pescott said he was the butcher, not the slaughterman, in the case in question. He is still trading, but through a licensed slaughterhouse.

?Without any alteration having had to be done, my premises are now registered food premises,? he said, stressing there had never been any question over the condition under which meat was handled.

Dave Banks, borough environmental health officer, said it was unlawful to have animals slaughtered for human consumption by anybody but the owner unless slaughtered in a licensed slaughterhouse ? even if it was for the owner?s consumption.

However, an animal killed at a slaughterhouse could be cut up at a butcher?s premises, said Mr Banks.

He said guidance issued to local authorities was due to be upgraded next month.

?Some of the practical difficulties need to be ironed out ? we need to have a system which is workable for enforcement as well as for the trade. But the bottom line is that we need to protect public health.?

Ian Johnson, NFU regional press officer, said meetings had been held with the borough?s environmental health officer and the three main home-kill operators.

?One of the operators? main concerns was about the chilling of meat. The investment needed to provide this for all customers would make this uneconomic ? it needs to be removed from the premises for chilling,? Mr Johnson said.

He said the matter had ?fairly wide-reaching implications?, as each operator covering West Devon and East Cornwall would have several hundred customers.

?The difficulty we constantly encounter is overzealously-applied regulations,? Mr Johnson said.