A campaign backed by Queen guitarist Brian May to prevent a badger cull in the West Country, including parts of Somerset - has lost it's last ditch appeal at the High Court.

It clears the way for government plans for 70 percent of badgers in the area to be killed to stop the spread of bovine tuberculosis - which they say is causing the death of cattle and costing the UK one hundred million pounds a year.

Animal welfare charities want widespread vaccination instead.