THE Badger Trust said it was taking legal advice after AMs decided to approve an order allowing a badger cull in parts of Mid and West Wales.

It branded the cull — aimed to reducing bovine tuberculosis — "expensive, futile and clearly unnecessary".

Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said she had fully considered the evidence.

The cull plan has been welcomed by farming unions and criticised by conservationists.

Jake Griffiths, Wales Green Party leader and Assembly candidate for South Wales Central, said: "The decision to allow a badger cull in Wales to go ahead makes absolutely no sense and will do nothing to alleviate the terrible problem of bovine tuberculosis.

"This is backed up by all the research, including a £50 million randomised cull trial which found that a cull can actually increase incidents of the disease.

"In 2009, Scotland, which hasn't killed any badgers, was declared a tuberculosis-free zone."