Badgers causing damage

Brian Reed is one of three neighbours with gardens backing on to the north side of Bexhill Down where ten sets of badgers digging under their land are causing ground to subside.

Brian has two garden sheds which have begun to sink into the earth as well as damage to base of his fence while next door the shed is collapsing inwards because the concrete base has been broken and a new pagoda has fallen down.

Brian's fear is that the underground network of badgers is now moving up the garden towards his house and he has warned his insurance company of the possibility that badgers "could undermine the bungalow".

The neighbours face a joint bill of almost 4,000 as they work with Natural England and the Sussex Badger Consultancy to rectify the problem, following strict procedures in accordance with protecting the animals themselves, such as digging a 1.5 metre deep trench along the side of the three gardens and cutting back shrubs and trees to allow for access, also removing fencing and loose brick bases. They are hoping to achieve the necessary licence which will allow badger doors to be put inside the sets '“ the idea being to prevent the animals coming back inside in the hope they look for new homes elsewhere, further into the Down.

Brian said: "There are lots of complicated steps to take before we can get the certificate to carry out the work. And then it is only valid until November which is when they start to settle for winter and you can't do anything to the badgers or their sets or the surrounding land at all. At the moment we are in a very tight schedule to be able to get this work done."

Retired Brian is 75 and has lived in Heatherdune Road with wife Gillian for over three years. He has difficulty walking because of diabetes and arthritis coupled with a knee problem and has already fallen in his garden because paving stones are now uneven where badgers have been digging underground.

The group approached Rother District Council initially for help with the badger nuisance but now instead finds they have to foot the 3,850 bill themselves.

Bill said: "We are really horrified at the cost for a start...Our view is the badgers started off on the Down and came into our property from there, therefore technically they are the responsibility of the council which is trying to duck out really.

"I would like to draw attention to the fact the badgers are there and maybe the council will come up with something to help.

"And then there is the public opinion. People going past get upset because they think we are doing away with the badgers '“ they think we are all murderers and vandals because we are chopping down trees...Everyone who comes over here with their dog thinks first that we are spoiling the countryside and second that we are killing the badgers. Some of them have rung the council complaining about it and some have been taking photographs '“ they were concerned that the shrubs had been taken down so we can get at the sets.

"Badgers are so protected '“ if we had taken any action at all against the badgers we would be in deep trouble."

A council spokesman said: "It would appear that Mr Reed has contacted the appropriate authorities and we as a Council have no involvement or responsibilities in such issues."