Second Badger head discovered on public footpath in Banbury area

The discovery was the second of its kind in the last six weeks in the Banbury area.

This time it was discovered by Oxfordshire Badger group (OBG) member Becci Cooper on a public footpath in Wardington near Banbury on Monday May 25.

Becci said: “I was really shocked to discover this grisly find and immediately reported it to the police, the badger group and the Badger Trust.

"I am a huge animal lover and to find this so soon after hearing of a similar find in a village very close to me was very upsetting. We need to protect our wildlife now more than ever.”

Julia Hammett, Oxfordshire Badger Group said: “Persecution against badgers is a crime and those carrying it out are breaking the law.

"With the badger cull spreading across the country and a call by some for it to come to Oxfordshire, the loss of habitat through unprecedented building development over the county and our increasingly dry summers, badgers, although a protected species, are having a very hard time.

"Please report any suspected badger crime to the police on 101 unless you are witnessing it and then dial 999.

"We also need to hear about any incidents so we can protect Oxfordshire badgers.”

Oxfordshire badger group can be reached via their website at https://www.oxonbadgergroup.org.uk/Oxfordshire Badger Group has been working and speaking up for badgers and their habitats for more than 30 years.

In 2019 they launched a successful pilot vaccination scheme. At the beginning of 2020 they became a registered charity.

Currently OBG are just about to start their second round of vaccinations to protect badgers against TB.

Another Banbury woman found a decapitated badger's head on a public footpath near the village of Mollington around six weeks ago in late April.