THE Government maintains it is still committed to culling badgers to try and curb the spread of bovine tuberculosis after it announced the West Somerset trial would be delayed until next June at the earliest.

Opponents to the controversial cull said the Government had performed a U-turn in the face of mounting hostility and spiralling costs.

But Environment Minister Owen Paterson was adamant time had simply run out to enable the cull to take place this year.

He told the House of Commons on Tuesday: "It is crucial we get this right.

"Protracted legal proceedings and the request of the police to delay the start until after the Olympics and Paralympics have meant we have moved beyond the optimal time for delivering a cull.

"We should have begun in the summer. In addition to these problems the most recent field work has revealed that badger numbers in the two areas are significantly higher than previously thought.

"It would be wrong to go ahead if those on the ground cannot be confident of removing at least 70 per cent of the population."

Farming Minister David Heath told the Commons last week the 'best estimate' of badger numbers in West Somerset was 4,300 - more than 60 per cent above the predicted number.

Figures for the second trial cull in Gloucestershire revealed 3,600 badgers, double the number anticipated.

As a result, it raised doubts that enough animals could be killed within the time and money allotted to meet the Government target of reducing local populations by at least 70 per cent cent.

The Government believes the incidence of bTB could be reduced by up to 16 per cent over nine years if at least 70 per cent of local badgers were killed.

But ministers have always based their assumptions of the effectiveness of a cull on much lower estimates of badger numbers.

Critics warned only last week that the escalating costs of the planned culls would cost taxpayers' more than it saved.

Professor John McInerney said that while farmers would benefit financially, taxpayers faced a £1 million plus bill for policing alone in each of the two pilot areas.

The cull marksmen themselves were also due to be paid a bounty per badger killed and with badger numbers up to twice that anticipated, the costs of the cull itself also appeared to be rocketing.

On Monday, West Somerset police inspector Lisa Simpson told district councillors policing was poised to be stepped up for the cull.

She told West Somerset Council's scrutiny committee additional resources were due to be provided, including three sergeants and 18 constables, in addition to the existing police strength in the area.

She said the extra officers would be funded by central Government and would be there to ensure any protests were peaceful and to safeguard local communities, as well as those people carrying out the cull.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Paterson said it was the companies which would be paid to carry out the cull that had asked for the postponement until next summer.

"In these circumstances, it is the right thing to do and, as the people who have to deliver this policy on the ground and work within the science, I respect their decision.

"By starting the process next summer we can build on the work already done."

He stressed the cull would still go ahead and added: "There is no change to the Government's policy.

"We remain absolutely committed to it but we must work with the National Farmers' Union to get the delivery right."

Separately, MPs were due to debate the cull in the House of Commons as the Free Press went to print yesterday (Thursday) after an online petition led by rock musician Brian May attracted almost 170,000 signatures calling for the cull to be scrapped.

It has already been rumoured the Government could well face defeat if the issue was put to a vote in the House.

There is also the continuing threat of further legal action after the Badger Trust filed a 'pre-action' letter over the weekend, the final step before seeking judicial review.

The letter cites costs, public safety around the unmarked cull zones and uncertainty over whether the cull would kill enough badgers to be effective.

The go-ahead for the controversial cull was given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) nearly a year ago.

Farmers believe it is essential to stop the spread of bTB, a disease which can be carried by badgers and which results in the slaughter of thousands cattle every year.

Opponents claim the main problem is transmission between infected cattle herds and have called for both cattle and badgers to be vaccinated against the disease.

Campaigners also believe killing badgers could make matters worse by potentially wiping out healthy populations and allowing bTB infected badgers to roam more widely.

l A second badger night walk took place in West Somerset yesterday (Thursday) to give opponents to the cull the chance to show their feelings.

Somerset-based wildlife charity Secret World and the Badger Protection League called on their supporters to meet in the Killick Way car park in Williton at 7pm.

Secret World founder, Pauline Kidner, said she had been amazed by the support shown at the first night walk held in Dunster and hailed the Williton event as another success.