FUELED by anger after Princess Anne suggested gassing was a 'nicer' way of killing badgers, a retired police officer led a protest outside her Gatcombe Park Estate on Friday.

Dressed as John Bull, Ray Egan said he was “incensed” by what the Princess Royal had said on Countryfile and staged a one-man protest outside what he calls “Gascombe Park”.

HRH provoked controversy by saying: “If we want to control badgers the most humane way of doing it is to gas them.”

Mr Egan, from Birmingham, said: “Just as I got there Princess Anne was leaving the estate in a military helicopter.

“I would definitely say that I got my point across with my signage.

“Sixty years ago hedgehogs were accused of spreading TB.

“What have we learnt in 60 years that all of a sudden we have to blame the badgers. Medical and scientific research needs to be carried out to find out how it is spread.

“As well as serving as a police officer, I have also worked in the agriculture industry, specifically cattle, and I do not believe badgers pass TB to cows.

“The estate has a lot of woodland, I could see that from standing outside the front.

“There will obviously be badgers living there with a lot of cattle nearby."

Mr Egan used to be a mascot for the Hereford Bull Society, however due to his views on the spread of TB he no longer holds this role.