Animal rights campaigners who launched a campaign against what they thought was pig and lamb racing at a Dorset event have discovered it's all porkies.

The online campaign attracted almost 15,000 signatures – but protesters were "misinformed" and the actual racing will involve people dressing up as animals.

The Cambridgeshire-based Lambentations group claims it has already successfully got eight sheep races and a pig race cancelled through campaigning.

Its latest protest was against what members thought were plans by The Swan Inn in Stalbridge to hold piglet and lamb racing as part of it's Ale and Gin festival due to take place on Saturday, June 30.

The group also claimed the pub would let children ride the piglets.

The petition on mypetitionsite.com which has since been removed, said: "On 30th June The Swan Inn, Stalbridge plan to hold piglet and lamb racing as part of their Ale & Gin Festival.

"Not only that but they have said that children will be allowed to ride the piglets."

The petition described the event as "cruel" and claimed that racing animals was "exploitative".

It added that a beer festival was not a suitable environment for the animals.

It concluded: "As if that wasn't enough there will also be a BBQ where the animals will be able to smell the cooking flesh of their fellow creatures."

However, Andy Crook, who has been the manager The Swan for six months said that the actual plan was to dress four men and woman up and race them against each other.

Mr Crook said the pub was organising the race for a family-friendly beer festival raising money for Weldmar Hospice and Macmillan Cancer Trust.

He added that the people signing the petition were "misinformed" about the situation and that the racing was meant to be an additional surprise to the event.

Mr Crook continued: "Trying to keep this fun day has been ruined by some bizarre comments – i.e children riding live pigs – let me tell you now this would never happen in this establishment."

Samantha Francis, founder of the Lambentations told the Dorset Echo that although she was pleased the pub was not racing lambs or pigs she said that the advertising must have been made more clearer as an impression was made that they were using live animals.

She added: "Public opinion is strong against sheep and animal racing."