ANIMAL welfare activists have called for a boycott of the Aintree Festival over the number of horse deaths during the annual racing event.

A total of 65 horses have died at the three-day festival over the past 25 years, according to figures from Animal Aid.

Calling for the boycott in the run-up to this year’s event, which starts on Thursday, League Against Cruel Sports chief executive Emma Slawinski said: “The death toll at the Aintree Festival is an indictment of racing’s track record in prioritising animal welfare — horses are being sacrificed for entertainment and for the profits of the gambling companies.