A FARMER fighting to stop Government vets ordering the slaughter of eight cows - six of which are pregnant - after they tested positive for bovine TB is seeking legal advice in a last-ditch bid to save them.

The State Veterinary Service gave Margaret Booton until last Friday to voluntarily give up the cows, which have been isolated from her 100-strong beef herd at Lower Snead Farm.

As the deadline passed she vowed she would not let them go voluntarily.

Mrs Booton, backed by family friend, Samantha Qureshi - who hand-reared three of the cows as pets - is now taking legal advice to see if the slaughter can be postponed to allow for a second test to be carried out.

Miss Quershi said: "We will not let them go because we think we have a good case for waiting until they can be given another test.

"We have had so much response from people saying they had cows tested as positive, which came back negative after post mortem that we believe we have a good case.

"Also two of the cows are pretty close to calving and there's nothing to say their calves will be infected."

The two women have mounted a campaign calling on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - Defra - to introduce a more accurate test to replace the current skin test, which has an accuracy rate for detecting bovine TB of between 77 per cent and 95 per cent.

They also want action to stop the spread of the disease from wildlife - notably badgers - and the introduction of vaccinations.

Several farmers and other farming campaigners protested at Lower Snead Farm on Friday in front of TV cameras against the slaughter of the cattle.

Cleobury Mortimer farmer, Bill Dunn, said: "It is a serious problem and the Government has to decide whether they want cattle or badgers."

He and others said, however, a controlled cull was not the whole answer and pointed to other countries where badgers were caught, tested and released if not infected.

Anne Mietke, from Tewkesbury, who runs three farmers' markets, said 10 years ago the Government had said it would take a decade to create a TB vaccination. She added: "If something is not done we will not have a British beef and dairy industry."

Mrs Booton and Miss Qureshi are urging people to sign their petition, copies of which are in shops, pubs, and petrol stations and are hoping Leominster MP, Bill Wiggin, will visit the farm.