Agriculture minister David Heath has defended the imminent cull of badgers in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

Speaking at the Devon county agricultural show this weekend, he said the cull was a vital part of the government's drive to cut TB in cattle.

"TB is a huge problem and if we dealt with it properly years ago we would not be in this position. Vaccination is a distance off so that is why we have the culls," he said.

“There no sense in allowing a disease which causes 26,000 to 27,000 cattle slaughtered every year and costs the taxpayer £1 billion over 10 years. It is not about us wanting to kill badgers, but it is about healthy cattle and healthy badgers. I want to get our disease free status back.”

The culls are due to start next month.  Nearly 250,000 people have so far signed a petition calling for the culls to be abandoned.