QUEEN legend and vocal opponent to the controversial badger cull Brian May was in Somerset today at Camp Badger.

The six-week culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire began last Monday (September 8).

They are part of the government’s plan to curb bovine TB.

Mr May paid a visit to Camp Badger at Halse with members of his Save Me Trust and also took part in a patrol last night.

Writing on his Twitter, Mr May said: “Overall impression tonight ? Badger Patrols ARE making a difference. If you care about animals wanna give them an evening of your life?”

A spokesperson for Somerset Against the Badger Patrol said: “We were very pleased that Brian was able to come and meet us.

“It has given us a great morale boost.

“We are determined to keep walking the footpaths night and day to maintain our peaceful opposition to the badger cull.”

There were cheers of victory last Wednesday when anti-badger cull campaigners won the right to appeal a ruling regarding a government decision over this year’s culls.

Lord Justice Maurice Kay granted the Badger Trust permission to appeal a High Court ruling which dismissed their application calling for this year’s culls to take place with independent monitoring.

In a statement before his visit to Somerset on behalf of himself and Save Me, Mr May said: “It is fantastic that these people are out at night to patrol and take care of any wounded badgers.

“Badgers are very intelligent with the same emotional level and pain capacity as our very own pet dogs.

“Many of the wounded will be cubs just a few months old and we wanted to say thank you to these amazing people who are protecting them.

“We do not support the cull and are advocating vaccination... It is a realistic approach that is both affordable and achievable.

“It seems the public are with us, as this rates as the fifth most important issue on a MORI poll of MPs.”