SIR — I would like to remind certain people that the death sentance on badgers has not been passed and that hopefully there is a good chance that it won't be.

It remains that chastising this wild animal in any way is still totally illegal.

For those people who still believe that the badger is wholly responsible for the spread of bovine TB, I would like to remind them that there is no scientific evidence to suggest this.

There is, however, plenty of evidence to suggest that any cull or major harassment causes so much stress to the remaining population that they are quite likely to re-locate to an area that is free of TB (thus, possibly spreading the disease, if present, to other badgers).

I think that the farming community is beginning to listen to and believe the science behind the case for not culling badgers.

I therefore urge those people who still regard the badger as the major suspect to consider refraining from any further harassment.

I write this letter due to the fact that badgers in my immediate vicinity have either moved away or succumbed to one of the various perils that they face daily.

Meg Sunningdale,

Withycombe.