MADAM – Earlier this year, I staged a lone anti-badger cull protest at Gatcombe Park in the light of comments made by Princess Anne on a BBC Countryfile programme in which she advocated the gassing of badgers in relation to bovine TB.

Well, would you believe it, she appeared again on BBC Countryfile at 7pm on Sunday, August 24, in favour of the same outrageous and highly dangerous, dastardly method of gassing badgers, which was banned many years ago by the government of the day.

Does she not realise that, by using gas, it is also highly dangerous and fatal to all other burrowing animals in the surrounding area?

I do not want to see any wild animal destroyed, by gas, shooting or otherwise. They are all God’s creatures and have a right to life.

Twenty years ago, I became the mascot for the Hereford breed of cattle, leading the breed in the grand parades at agriculture shows throughout the country.

Sadly, that role has now become untenable due to my conflict of interest with badgers.

When Princess Anne next visits Birmingham, I will be waiting to remind her publicly of her comments on Countryfile regarding the use of gas.

We owe it to future generations to protect our wildlife and I take great exception to a leading member of the Royal Family airing their views in this way .

She, of all people, with her horse riding and countryside pursuits, should be setting a better example to the rest of the country, especially when she receives monies from the public purse for her work.

As a retired police officer, I spent my apprenticeship in agriculture in Caernarvonshire, North Wales, during the late 1950s.

I also attended Glynllifon agricultural college.

I am fully aware that bovine TB is, in cattle, a very contentious issue, and has been ever since I can remember.

I experienced bovine TB in cattle on a farm where I worked.

We had many reactors to the test then and cattle had to be slaughtered, and worse than that was an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, when we had the whole of the herd slaughtered.

Needless to say, I have seen more than enough killing of cattle to last me a lifetime, that was over 60 years ago.

So the question I have to ask is, why has it taken all this time, to date, to suddenly decide to blame the innocent badgers, and worse than that by staging mass culls?

Culling of badgers is about to start again in Gloucestershire and Somerset. The government and Defra, should hang their heads in shame over these culls.

In my opinion, there needs to be more medical and scientific research into the spread of bovine TB before these drastic actions.

More should be done looking into animal husbandry, animal health, and the movement of animals to markets etc. Unhealthy animals are a prime target for spreading bovine TB.

Cattle and badgers have lived side by side since time immemorial, and it is God’s will that they should continue to do so, and not be wantonly destroyed by man.

Ray Egan

Harborne