Beyonce In Hot Water Over Stingray Skin Shoes

Beyonce has come under fire for wearing trainers made from the skins of exotic animals.

Animal welfare group Peta has described the US star as "cruel" and "spoilt" for choosing shoes made from stingray, anaconda, ostrich, crocodile and calf.

In a statement, Peta said: "These custom-made kicks come with a high price - and it's paid by the various animals who were beaten and skinned alive or cruelly farmed and killed.

"Although most people aren't as familiar with the types of animals (snakes, stingrays, crocodiles, and ostriches) killed for this single pair of sneakers as they are with the cats and dogs we share our homes with, these animals are highly sensitive living beings who try hard to avoid capture and suffer enormously when trapped, netted, speared, and skinned alive.

"We hope that Beyonce will choose to wear more clothes from her own clothing line - which features faux fur - and that one day, she'll go completely cruelty-free.

"She can always choose the cruelty-free and 'green' fashion favoured by compassionate, chic celebrities such as Natalie Portman and Anne Hathaway and designers such as award-winning fashion queen Stella McCartney."

The shoes, by Perfectly Made Kicks (PMK), were custom-made for Beyonce but it is the second time the singer has been in trouble with animal rights groups.

The outfit she wore for her Super Bowl half-time show performance was made from iguana, python and cowhide leather.

Peta released a statement two days later, saying the Houston singer "had missed the mark" with her choice of clothing.

The shoe-maker has "form" when it comes to controversial materials used in its designs.

It made a pair of trainers - the Brooklyn Zoo - for Beyonce's rapper husband, Jay-Z, which were made of alligator, python, boa, lizard, ostrich, crocodile and stingray.

It is not known how much the footwear costs but a pair of PMK shoes usually sells for over £200.