WILTSHIRE Against The Badger Cull has praised Bradford on Avon Town Council for stating it will not allow badger culling and hunting to take place on its land as part of a new wildlife protection policy.

Local members of the Wiltshire Badger Group urged other local town and parish councils, as well as Wiltshire Council, to follow Bradford on Avon's lead.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the group said: "Whilst we recognise most culling does of course take place on private farmland, we are delighted to see local councils such as Bradford on Avon Town Council take a progressive stance to protect the wildlife and the environment.

"We now urge other parish councils and indeed Wiltshire Council to make a similar stand and also ban hunting and culling on their land."

The town council's environment and planning committee recently approved a wildlife protection policy that would ban badger culling and hunting on its land.

The council said: "Very pleased that the Bradford on Avon Town Council Environment and Planning Committee voted in favour of the Wildlife Protection policy tonight, which commits the Council to refusing consent to hunt or cull across Town Council lands, to using and supporting non-lethal methods of species control, and to helping to guide others in the same direction.

"It's a signal of intent and leadership for others in the local area, following the example set last year by Bath and North East Somerset - and it would be great to see other parish councils in the local area and indeed Wiltshire Council follow suit.”