EVIDENCE of a cruel and barbaric practice related to the blood sport of badger baiting has prompted a local ecologist to condemn the people involved.

Tony Timbrall, 57, of Hawcroft in Holt, is an expert on badgers and has been defending them for decades.

He was very concerned to discover evidence of a brutal practice called crowning' in countryside between Holt and Broughton Gifford, near his home.

Criminals who make money from selling badgers to baiters, target the animals in their setts.

They use terrier dogs wearing tracking devices to explore the underground tunnels of a badger sett.

When the dog stops moving it usually means it has come nose to nose with a badger. The men dig down through the earth to capture it. They then fill in the hole with earth to cover their tracks.

As Mr Timbrall points out, the practice has horrific results for both animals. He said: "When the dog finds it, the badger will do everything to defend its home and family. They lock jaws, with the badger biting harder than the dog and twisting and ripping at its face.

"When the men find the animals the dog is usually very seriously injured, with tears and gashes on its head. They never take the dog to the vets because they know they will be reported to the police.

"If the dog survives they may sew up the wound with fishing wire or dump it and leave it to die. It is an excruciatingly painful experience for the dogs involved."

A friend who walks her dog in the area alerted Mr Timbrall to the problems at the sett, which he has monitored for 12 years. When he went to investigate he identified clear signs that crowning' had taken place.

He has reported the incident to police and hopes the men will be brought to justice but knows it is very unlikely.

He said: "The practice is not common but it is extremely barbaric. It's normally a hardcore of criminals who are responsible.

"Badgers received protection in law in 1973 but people still abuse them in their natural habitats.

"It's not just badgers who suffer. These men also use dogs as tools to find the badgers and care little for the horrific consequences. It is a horrendous practice and must be stamped out."

If anyone sees anything suspicious going on near a badger sett contact the police immediately on (0845) 4087000 or email the Wiltshire Badger Group at info@wiltshirebadgergroup.org.uk