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, which would be handed to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider launching criminal charges.

An international furore erupted and protests were held outside the abattoir in February after footage obtained by Animal Aid was released showing a worker hacking and sawing at animals' throats, in direct contravention of Islamic practice.

In one instance, it took a worker up to five attempts to sever blood vessels.

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

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.

In response to the footage, Bowood sacked four staff 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."

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.

Bowood's most recent accounts, in October 2013, stated trading conditions were "extremely challenging".

Residents in Busby Stoop said they understood a buyer was being sought for the abbatoir.

No one at Bowood Yorkshire Lamb was available for comment and the site remained closed yesterday (Wednesday, August 12).

An Animal Aid spokesman said: "It's absolutely fitting that Bowood wraps up and finishes.

"The killing enterprise we found was grave, much of it sadistic, and the signs were that it had been going on for some time with restraint by management."

North Yorkshire County Council deputy leader and Teesside butcher Councillor Gareth Dadd, who launched launched a campaign in the wake of the outcry 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."