A HALAL slaughterhouse at the centre of horrific animal cruelty allegations has gone into administration, six months after covert footage of practices in the abattoir was revealed.

The move came as the Food Standards Agency announced it was close to concluding an inquiry into how animals were treated at the abattoir in Busby Stoop, near Thirsk, and that criminal charges could follow.

Launching the investigation in February, the agency stated there was "no excuse for treating animals in the way shown" on a covertly filmed video obtained by Animal Aid.

An international furore erupted and protests were held outside the abattoir after footage was released showing a worker hacking and sawing at animals' throats, in direct contravention of Islamic practice, and in one instance it took up to five attempts to sever blood vessels.

Other footage included a sheep being kicked in the face and head, lifted by their ears, fleeces or legs, and hurled into solid structures, a worker standing on the neck of a conscious sheep and bouncing up and down, and staff erupting into laughter over a sheep bleeding to death with spectacles drawn around her eyes in green paint.

The films drew widespread condemnation as the law requires abattoirs to stun animals before slaughter to prevent unnecessary suffering, but there are exemptions for Jewish and Muslim producers.

Under the halal code, animals are supposed to be killed quickly, with a single sweep of a surgically-sharp knife.

They should not see the knife before they are slaughtered, or witness the death of other animals. After the footage was released, Bowood sacked four people identified as abusing animals in the video.

A Bowood spokesman said: "Despite the fact that we take all possible precautions, it is impossible to ensure that human beings will never fall below the required standards.

"We are very pleased that this has been a very rare occurrence in our business but take the appropriate action when, as in this case, it does happen."

In a statement to the Northern Echo today, an agency spokesman said: ‘We are in the process of completing a full investigation into the circumstances of this incident with a view to referring the case to the Crown Prosecution Service, who will consider whether there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for the case to be prosecuted.’

Insolvency firm Leonard Curtis Recovery were appointed as joint administrators of £29.1m turnover company Bowood Farms Ltd, trading as Bowood Yorkshire Lamb, on August 5.

Its most recent accounts, in October 2013, the firm stated its main activities were sheep and crop farming, as well as the running the North Yorkshire abattoir and described trading conditions as "extremely challenging" due to the market and retail price of lambs.

No one at Bowood Yorkshire Lamb was available for comment. North Yorkshire County Council deputy leader and Teesside butcher Councillor Gareth Dadd, who launched launched a campaign in the wake of the allegations for legislation to force abattoirs to operate CCTV to protect animals' welfare, said he felt there was a future for the site as an abattoir.

He said: "It's very sad to see any business go into administration, but this will provide an opportunity for a reputable operator to ensure that the standards we expect nationally and locally are adhered to."