CASH-STRAPPED Devon and Cornwall police face being saddled with a multi-million pound bill to keep the peace if a badger cull goes ahead in the county.

It would put an added squeeze on the force's budget which is already being slashed, leading to cuts in officer numbers.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman gave the green light to trials in two areas next year as part of the Government's efforts to tackle bovine TB in cattle.

These could lead to a roll-out of targeted culls in places worst affected by the devastating disease.

This is likely to include Devon as it is a 'hotspot' for bovine TB.

Badgers are known to carry and spread the disease to livestock.

Farmers have been pressing for action for years, but the killing of badgers is bitterly opposed by animal welfare campaigners.

The Secretary of State said it was a "realistic assumption" the Government would face a legal challenge.

Given the likelihood of protests aimed at disrupting culls, the Government has plans for a significant policing operation to ensure public safety.

This is expected to cost £500,000 a year in each of the designated areas.

With culling having to take place over at least four years, it would bring the policing cost for one site alone to £2 million.

Mrs Spelman said her department would "share those policing costs in so far as additional and reasonable costs are incurred".

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: "We are waiting for national guidance and the decision as to where the cull will actually take place. We will formulate a response in the event that our force area is chosen."

Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh said: "We now know why the Home Secretary warned Defra against the cull as the costs of policing each cull area are a staggering £2 million.

"Hard pressed police forces are already struggling to make the Tory-led Government's 20 per cent funding cuts which will mean 700 fewer officers in Devon and Cornwall over the next four years.

"We know that culling will take place at night, and could lead to extensive protests, which could well mean the involvement of specialist firearms officers.

"Local people will rightly be asking themselves if this is the best use of taxpayers' money and police officers in these tough times."

Announcing the culling policy, Mrs Spelman told the Commons that she wished there was an alternative but a vaccine for the disease would take too long to develop and it was difficult to administer to wild badgers which needed to be trapped first.

"I know there is great strength of feeling on this issue but I also know that we need to take action now before the TB situation deteriorates even further," she said.