Badger culls will take place in the Westcountry this summer

Controversial badger culls will go ahead this summer in the Westcountry, the Government has announced.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson told the National Farmers Union annual conference that culls will take place in West Gloucestershire and West Somerset.

Ministers want to hold a pilot badger cull to halt the spread of tuberculosis to cattle.

Pilot culls were called off last autumn after groups licensed to carry out the shooting of badgers told the Government they could not do the job on time.

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Mr Paterson said Bovine TB was spreading at an alarming rate and causing real devastation to the beef and dairy industry.

He said: "I am determined that there are no further delays this year. That is why we have taken the sensible step with the farming industry to elect a reserve area that can be called upon should anything happen to prevent culling in Somerset or Gloucester.

"These pilot culls are just one part of our approach to control and eradicate this dreadful disease. We are using everything at our disposal to get to grips with TB including new tougher controls on moving cattle, increased herd testing and working to get effective vaccines ready as soon as possible."