Brian May: Badger vaccine plan hailed by Queen axeman

Brian May joined protesters in London calling for an end to the badger cull in 2013

Brian May has welcomed the government's "brave new policy decision" to phase out badger culling in favour of a vaccine to tackle bovine TB.

The Queen guitarist, who has long opposed mass killing of the animals, said the move would reduce suffering and help "dairy farmers nationwide".

Culling had been rolled out to 40 areas of England despite opposition from wildlife and animal welfare groups.

Defra has said vaccine trials would take place over the next five years.

Farmers have argued culling is necessary to control the disease which devastates the beef and dairy industries,

In a statement released by animal welfare charity the Save Me Trust, May said: "We remain committed to solving the complex problems of TB management, by our participation in the rolling out of the Gatcombe strategy to volunteer dairy farms in the months to come."

'Dramatic change'

May, who is also a guitarist with band Queen, has refused to play at Glastonbury Festival because organiser Michael Eavis, who is also a dairy farmer, supports culling.

May said he believed the "dramatic change" by the government was a direct consequence of its long-awaited response to the Charles Godfray Report, commissioned by Michael Gove early last year.

During his investigations, zoologist Sir Charles visited the Save Me Trust's Gatcombe Farm in Devon, which achieved TB-free status in three years without employing a cull.

May also thanked current Environment Secretary George Eustice and his predecessor Mr Gove.

He described Mr Gove as the first minister to have recently held the role who had listened to the arguments against culling.