A PETITION raised by a Longdon woman opposing the livestock cull was presented to 10 Downing Street on Wednesday (May 2).

Anne Mietke collected 5,700 signatures calling for an end to the slaughter of healthy animals and the use of a vaccine.

She met West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer in Upton-upon-Severn last Friday and he arranged for her to present the petition to the Prime Minister.

It was bound with a cow halter belonging to an elderly lady from Tibberton, near Worcester, whose 30-year-old pet cow was slaughtered over the Easter weekend.

"All this slaughter is just so unnecessary and that's why I started the petition," said Ms Mietke.

Sir Michael has called for a public inquiry into the handling of the crisis, saying "delay and prevarication" has been the hallmark of the Government's response.

"My view is that had vaccination been introduced at an early stage as part of a 'firefighting' operation it would have won the approval of farmers and saved a lot of distress and unnecessary culling," he said.