Dear Editor, I have been following the correspondence concerning the possibility of a badger cull. Those of us, who have inherited ancient badger sets in our garden areas, will need to be fully persuaded that the prospect of picking up dead badgers while collecting the morning post is the only way forward in eradicating this idea.

I’m aware that last year 18,500 cattle were slaughtered in an attempt to contain bTB.

Having read the report of the ISG – the Independent Scientific Group which has carried out a Ten Year research project where 11,000 badgers were killed to discover what affect a larger cull would have - I can see why Hilary Benn, the environment minister has shelved the prospect of an immediate large scale destruction of Badgers Report.

Mr Lewis in his letter calls this report outrageous and regards people who study the scientific report as a "minority of ill informed people".

However he rather shoots himself in the foot by saying that not all scientists agree with the ISG report-or him. By implication saying he may be in that minority.

Obviously Mr Lewis’ experience in staking up the bodies of wildlife should be valued and reflected upon, but what do the experts currently tell Mr Benn. They state that local culls are too costly, impractical and unlikely to be effective.

The way forward is for all concerned to throw their energies behind Cattle Control measures, vaccine developments and improved bio security.

Government funding has increased by 20 million pounds, which will be administered by a Bovine TB partnership in order to develop a joint plan to resolve a complex problem.

C E David Coed Melin Tremain