Badgers wreak havoc

HUNGRY badgers are annoying gardeners by munching their way through their crops at an allotment site.Fed up horticulturalists say they are becoming increasingly cross to discover the badgers have been breaking into their allotment plots at Old Church Road by St Andrew's Church and eating their prize veggies.The town council has received a number of complaints about the creatures and now allotment holders are asking what can be done to ban the badgers.Clevedon Allotment Watch co-ordinator Margaret Blackmore said: "We have had a problems with badgers eating crops at the allotments."It especially happens at this time of year when the ground is dry and the wildlife is looking for food."It is difficult, especially for allotment holders who have worked hard on tending their crops."But because badgers are a protected species there is not a lot we can do apart from put netting over the plants and vegetables."Clevedon Town Council allotments committee chairman Carole Wring said: "The badgers have been getting into the allotments and eating the fruits and vegetables."Obviously this is frustrating as the gardeners have spent a lot of time and effort on their gardens only for their crops to be eaten."The allotment holders would like to see badger proof fencing installed but this is not an option as we do not have that sort of funding available."We need to be looking at ecological ways of dealing with the badgers."Cllr Wring said local wildlife wardens had suggested feeding the badgers in a bid to stop them helping themselves.Cllr Wring added: "Apparently badgers love raisins and nuts so perhaps an option would be for the allotment holders to put food out for the badgers so they don't eat their crops. We will be discussing options with the allotment tenants.