CULLING badgers is not the way to protect cattle against bovine TB and it could even make the problem worse, according to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

"A cull would be bad for badgers and bad for farmers," said the trust's director Colin Raven.

"Bovine TB is a big problem, but mass eradication of badgers is not the answer," he said.

The trust is appealing to local people to help prevent the Government ordering a mass extermination of badgers in Worcestershire, against the advice of its own scientists.

After spending seven years investigating whe-ther killing badgers would halt the disease in cattle, scientists were coming to the conclusion that it could make matters worse, said Mr Raven.

"The Government's own research tells them that cattle-to-cattle transmission is the biggest reason for the spread of bTB and that culling badgers around affected farms doesn't reduce the overall incidence of the disease.

"On the contrary, by disrupting badgers, a cull would lead to greatly increased movements in badger populations, which could exacerbate the problem," he said.

The trust has suffered the consequences of bovine TB on one of its own nature reserves and sympathises with farmers whose stocks are affected.

It wants the Govern-ment to focus on more effective methods of tackling the problem, such as controls on cattle movements, research into the the disease and the development of a bTB vaccine.

"But there is no sign the Government is listening. Unfortunately, rather than accept the evidence, some groups are still lobbying for a more widespread programme of eradication," said Mr Raven.

People who feel strongly that badgers should remain a protected spe-cies, can write to their MPs or to Bovine TB and Badgers Consultation, DEFRA, 1a Page Street, London SW1 4PQ before March 10.