FARMERS have been accused of dumping tonnes of stinking cow poo outside the home of anti-badger cull activists.
A picture shows an enormous pile of manure outside a property a few miles north-east of Lyme Regis, Dorset.
The image was sent to a group called Stop the Cull and shared online with the caption: “We have just received this image. It’s many tonnes of slurry dumped in the entrance of some very kind people who were defending badgers during the last cull in western Dorset/East Devon.”
The group also included the name of the farmer they are “99% sure” is to blame for the incident along with their phone number.
Stop the Cull wrote: “Please don’t call them through the night.
“They will be tired after working so hard last night from dumping this slurry.”
The group claimed that as a result of the dumped manure, “there are animals on the land, now blocked in until this slurry can be moved.”
According to the group, the farmer responsible is well known among cull saboteurs for “violent behaviour, trying to run people over in fields using a quad bike, verbal threats to kill etc”.
Kate Webster responded online: “Pile of s*** like the dumpers. I will be ringing them tonight to order some manure, perhaps 3am would be more convenient.”
Cynthia Sykes said: “I will set my alarm.”
Kevan Sheehan commented: “Violent intimidation is all these wretches know.”
However, there were some who did not support the tactics of the group.
Henry JW Squirrell commented: ““99% sure” is not evidence or enough to warrant harassing people online and wilfully degrading their business.”
Stop the Cull spokesman Jay Tiernan, said today: “The family are pretty overwhelmed.
“They have animals they need access to, so vets have access to them. It’s a great concern to them.
“We know who it is. It’s become a sort of feud between them and those protecting badgers in the area, but a very one-sided feud.”
He added: “As far as releasing the addresses and numbers of people who kill badgers, we don’t care what they think.
“We won’t stand by and watch idly by. If you kill badgers then people should know you kill badgers.
“If you don’t want people to know you kill badgers, then don’t kill badgers.”
A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: “Police have been made aware of a recent occurrence where slurry has been dumped on a farm in the West Dorset area.
“We have also been made aware that there are suspicions that this incident could have an indirect link to the DEFRA led cull of badgers in England.
“Whilst the investigation is at its early stages we would urge all people that hold strong and well-founded opinions, on both side of this debate, not to take actions or reactions that will inflame.”
