There are hopes that TB in cattle in North Pembrokeshire will finally be brought under control with the news that the area is to be the site of a test cull of badgers.

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones has announced that a 77 square mile patch of the County will be used as the pilot area for a scheme aimed at halting the disease.

The cull is due to start next month and will take up to five years in order to be worthwhile.

Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies said: "I very much welcome the proposals and I hope these plans will see the end of TB in my area.

"This disease has wreaked havoc in the countryside of Wales."

"North Pembrokeshire has been chosen because it is such a TB hotspot, earlier this year we saw the devastation it caused to the Daioni herd.

"I hope that this project will bring it under control for once and for all."

Last year 12,000 cattle in Wales were destroyed due to TB – a 50 per cent increase on the previous year.