THE badger culls carried out in parts of Somerset and Gloucestershire last year were not effective, according to an independent scientific assessment. 

The Independent Expert Panel was appointed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to help ministers evaluate the effectiveness, humaneness and safety of the pilot culls.

They were carried out in an attempt to try and curb bovine tb in cattle.

Marksmen were supposed to kill at least 70% of badgers in each area over the six-week period.

However, in both areas, the target was not met resulting in an extension which also failed to kill the minimum number of badgers.

Less than half of the target badgers were killed in both areas over the six-week period according to BBC News.

A freedom by the Human Society Internation into a set of 'Complience Reports' from Natural England's badger cull monitors has also today revealed similar findings.

Joe Duckworth, chief executive of the League Against Cruel Sports said: “The reports reveal only what was happening when marksmen knew they were being watched -  it simply doesn’t bear thinking about what might actually have been happening when they were not being monitored.

"Even on that basis, the results are clear, the badger cull fails on humaneness and effectiveness.

"Any plans for roll out go against all common sense, let alone science, and should be abandoned immediately.”

THE IEP report is yet to be officially published and presented to the government.