FARMERS in South Devon are putting pressure on the Government for the area to host a badger cull trial.

Two trial areas are being sought in the UK.

Devon and Cornwall is one of the worst affected regions in the country for bovine TB.

The Government is looking to introduce two trial areas to see if culling badgers helps reduce the spread of TB in cattle.

Richard Haddock, from Churston and a former chairman for the National Farmers' Union South West, who had several heads of cattle slaughtered because of TB, believes South Devon should be one of the areas.

He said: "We want to see what we can do to alleviate bovine TB. We want to see different types of trials.

"Farmers in Devon would like the badger cull trial to be here.

"We are one of the worst affected areas in the country.

"It's only fair that we should carry out one of the trials."

Mr Haddock said he was lucky to have his own retail outlet but many other farmers were now leaving the industry altogether.

He added: "In the last 12 months my herd went from 450 to 60.

"A lot of farmers are getting out of the industry for good.

"We are fed up seeing healthy breeding animals being slaughtered.

"The individual animals with TB are culled but you still can't move or sale the rest of your herd.

"It means farmers don't receive any income while the cost of feeding the animals remains high.

"There is little sympathy from banks these days to extend overdrafts."

Mr Haddock said that before the foot and mouth outbreak 10 years ago, the area between Torbay and the River Dart had one of the highest number of cattle in the land.

Now it is less than a third because farmers are leaving the industry.

The Badger Trust has condemned the Government's proposal to have a controlled cull.

A spokesman for the charity said several high-profile scientists had said a cull would not achieve any reduction in the spread of bovine TB.

Bay MP Adrian Sanders has voiced his disappointment with that the Government is seeking to implement a cull.

He said: "This decision will not have the desired results of stopping the spread of TB but instead will lead to the loss of life of badgers and potentially other innocent creatures if the culls are to place at night.

"No cull should take place unless the scientific evidence supports it."

However, Mr Haddock defended the culls saying not to have a one would allow wildlife to endure a slow death.

He said: "All we want is to cull the sick badgers to better protect the healthy ones and protect our cattle.

"What can the badger groups offer to stop badgers getting TB and cattle getting TB.

"Let's work together and the Government to find a solution."

It is understood a decision on the trial areas will be taken in the autumn.

The culls could start next June.