Hundreds expected at Shrewsbury badger cull protest march
Hundreds of protesters are expected to attend an anti-badger cull march in Shrewsbury next month, organisers claimed today.
More than 500 people are expected at the event on Saturday, February 8, with activists meeting in The Quarry at 1pm before marching through the town centre.
People are due to travel from as far afield as Cornwall to attend the event, which is one of a series of anti-cull protests that have taken place across the country since pilot schemes began in the West Country.
Organisers had initially planned the march would start from The Square but moved it to the park so it won't clash with a market due to take place the same day.
It will involve speeches given by wildlife campaigner Drew Pratten, Jim Ashley, from the Shropshire Badger Group, and Dominic Dyer from Care for the Wild.
Diane Bartlett, one of the organisers, said previous protests in places like Brighton, Derby and Leeds had attracted between 300 and 700 people. She said organisers are hopeful of a good turnout in Shropshire .
She said protesters would be using the march to call on the Government to end badger culling and introduce a programme of vaccination instead.
Organisers have invited Environment Secretary and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson to attend, along with Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski and Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.
