Ms Russell (Letters, August 23) clearly hasn’t met any of my neighbouring farmers who have been closed down as a result of Bovine TB.

No Badgers within 10 miles, what total nonsense, I have about 20 on my own 35 acres within less than half a mile of my neighbouring farmer.

They tried trapping and vaccinating on my land but the `badger huggers followed the van and let them go. I run four 5* holiday cottages and have a vested interest in people like Ms Russell returning.

Most of my guests do.

We live in a real world with people who depend on farming.

The scourge of Bovine TB has to be eliminated, as we say round here “End of”.

Ms Russell may be offended; but without the community who make North Pembs so special, what is there to visit?

Perhaps hold-ups on the roads following a hearse on its way to Narberth after yet another farmer suicide.

No Ms Russell get real, people round here depend on their cattle for their daily bread - do you? Of course not; so please stay out of an issue that you do not fully understand.

JONTY HERON

By email

I had a letter published on August 23 referring to the badger cull.

A correspondent called Jonty Heron subsequently had a letter published on the same subject but ascribed things to me I did not write.

I have no idea what this man is on about. He says: “No badger within 10 miles – what total nonsense”. I don’t know how near badgers are to his land as I have never been there and I certainly never wrote anything about distances.

He goes on to say: “... badger hugger followed the van and let them go”. Again this is nothing I wrote. Who or what was on the van which the “badger hugger” let go!

Badgers are quite strong and have sharp claws and strong jaws and I would not advise hugging them. I have worked with them and know.

He goes on to say: “Ms Russell may be offended” and “no Ms Russell, get real”. I think an apology is in order never mind being offended. I was trying to make the point that Wales has done so well with its vaccination project not like the cruel cull going on in the West Country. I have never mentioned distances or anything else he goes on about with reference to my name.

I have spent quite a lot of my life living in the country, I know some farmers and have much sympathy with them.

VALERIE RUSSELL

Tonbridge

YOU recently published a letter from Jonty Heron regarding correspondence from myself and others regarding culling badgers to stop the spread of TB in cattle.

He seems to assume that we who object to the cull don’t care about farmers or the effect of bTB.

I can assure him that we care very much, but we believe that culling is ineffective, inhumane and goes against all scientific evidence.

I have been involved with a badger vaccination group and I’m sure no “badger hugger” would disrupt that procedure. Also the research I quoted in my last letter referred to badgers keeping at least 10 metres from cattle, certainly not 10 miles! It is a very big problem, but culling these animals is not the solution and the perturbation effect could make the situation worse.

JANE HUTCHINS

East Sussex