AVON and Somerset Constabulary this week released a detailed breakdown of how it spent £738,985 policing last year's pilot badger cull in West Somerset.

The force, which had confirmed the size of the bill in January, revealed how many officers were involved, what arrests were made and insisted it had remained impartial throughout the controversial cull.

In a statement, the police said public interest in the police operation remained high and the force had decided to publish full details of 'Operation Harlech - badger cull expenditure and deployment'.

But despite originally giving the media figures for "officer deployment" and "officer breakdown per day", the force subsequently requested no details were published "for operational reasons".

The figures did reveal that those on duty were paid some £575,372 in overtime, £135,299 was spent on planning and senior officer costs and £27,389 was paid to hire vehicles plus £925 for "equipment hire".

The aim of the operation was to "maintain peace, protect life and property and at all times to ensure the safety of the public, Defra staff and police employees".

Officers were also instructed to provide community reassurance, minimise disruption and enable peaceful protest where it was safe to do so.

The operation resulted in one person being charged with a public order offence, three cautions for harassment, five public order cautions, seven cautions for assault and eight cautions for common assault and battery.

Deputy Chief Constable John Long said officers had spent months before the cull talking to protesters, farmers, local businesses and the wider community to reassure people about officers' roles during the operation.

He said it was important people understood the force was impartial and that it had to strike a balance between allowing protest and enabling the wider community to continue living their lives as normal.

He said: "We were conscious of public interest in the badger culls from the earliest stages of the proposals.

"Our strategy balanced the need for the Government's policy to be delivered, to respect the rights of individuals to protest, to minimise disruption for local people and to ensure public safety.

"I feel the policing operation rose to those challenges and while there will always be lessons to be learned, the objectives were substantially achieved."

He said the force had worked hard to minimise the impact on local communities - avoiding the need to take officers away from normal duties and to make sure policing costs were met by central Government.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said she believed that, overall, the cull had been policed successfully.

"The badger cull has been an emotive issue for everyone that has been involved.

"As the voice of local people, I have been keen to take the time to listen to all who have been affected one way or another by the cull.

"Overall, I feel the policing of the cull has gone well. However, I have listened to residents and I have gathered constructive comments which I will ensure influence future policing," she said.