ELLE MACPHERSON SCARED OF ANTI FUR CAMPAIGNERS

Australian beauty ELLE MacPHERSON has pulled out of a $1.8 million (GBP1 million) deal with a luxury fur company because she is terrified of becoming a target for animal rights campaigners.

Supermodel MacPherson had signed a seven-figure deal with Blackglama, but was shocked when she received a threatening letter from People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA).

The letter said: "By making yourself the new face of fur for Blackglama you are also making yourself a top target for PETA and animal activists around the world. When you make money from such a violent industry, you also must carry their baggage."

A close friend of MacPherson tells British newspaper the Daily Express, "Elle has never seen anything ethically wrong with wearing fur... but in the wake of recent developments against the fur industry from militant protesters and animal rights activists, she felt that no amount of money was worth jeopardising the safety of herself or her family, and she'd rather the ads were pulled."

Elle's lawyers are currently in talks with Blackglama, who insist the shots of the model, wearing a selection of mink jackets, will still be published.