The animal rights group Peta has bought a stake in Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, allowing activists to attend the retailer’s annual investors meeting in September.

Ashley faces pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) after department store House of Fraser restarted selling real fur coats.

The animal rights activists bought one share in the retail group, which will allow them to attend Frasers’ investors meeting.

Peta can then challenge Ashley and the management team on their stance on selling fur.

The department store chain said it had a “strict no-fur policy” following backlash from an investigation in 2017 that found products advertised as fake fur were in fact real.

House of Fraser apologised and stopped selling the products.

However, in November, some of its items were found to be lined with fur again.

Peta has been protesting outside stores following the discovery of a coat by luxury brand Pyronex described on the House of Fraser website as having a 100% raccoon fur trim.