THE second of four years of badger culling in Gloucestershire and Somerset is due to end at noon today, Monday.

Marksmen were expected to kill more than 600 badgers in Gloucestershire and 300 in Somerset, however it is currently uncertain whether these figures have been met.

Last year the cull in Gloucestershire was halted three weeks before schedule after it became clear even a reduced target would not be met.

The pilot scheme was extended by eight weeks after marksmen exterminated only 30 per cent of the local badger population - well short of a 70 per cent target.

Natural England said it had pulled the plug as the cull was set to miss a revised level of 58 per cent.

Designed to reduce the spread of tuberculosis in cattle, the policy is backed by farmers and vets' groups but strongly opposed by animal rights campaigners.

Campaign group Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting, is urging the Government to change tactics on future badger culls.

GABS spokesperson Jeanne Berry said: “The cull is due to end at noon today and we do not anticipate an extension to the planned six week cull, as happened last year.

"All the signs are that this cull has been another waste of public money and will make no meaningful contribution to the eradication of bTB in local cattle.

"As there has been no independent monitoring of the cull this year we will probably never know how many badgers died in agony or the true financial costs of the cull.

"We implore farmers to look at alternatives to culling badgers, including badger vaccination, because if the culling goes ahead again next year there will still be people out there every night working to save this iconic British mammal from pointless and painful deaths.”