Badger cull to be carried out in Herefordshire and Shropshire

Badger culling licences for Herefordshire and Shropshire have been granted as part of efforts to control tuberculosis in cattle.

Government agency Natural England has issued licences for 11 additional areas, alongside re-introducing licences for 33 areas of the country where culling has already taken place in previous years.

Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire have all received culling licences. 

The licences mean up to 70,000 badgers could be killed this year across much of England as part of efforts to control TB in livestock, which can catch the disease from the wild animals.

The move comes despite ministers signalling an intention to phase out the practice.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "Bovine TB is one of the most difficult and intractable animal health challenges that the UK faces today, causing considerable trauma for farmers and costing taxpayers over £100 million every year.

"No-one wants to continue the cull of a protected species indefinitely.

"That is why we are accelerating other elements of our strategy, including vaccination and improved testing, so that we can eradicate this insidious disease and start to phase out badger culling in England."