ANIMAL campaigners have won a reprieve for a Bridport wildlife haven after a last ditch appeal to planners.

Retired zoologist Harry Britton and his wife Jill are fighting to save what they claim is an important home for badgers on the town’s New Zealand site where 15 homes are to be built.

Last week developers Hunt and Son asked West Dorset District Council to remove a condition preventing the bulldozers moving in until a protection zone has been establish around the setts once identified there.

They claimed a study by their badger expert Dr Julian Brown in late May had confirmed that the animals no longer live on the land.

But Mr and Mrs Britton, who live at Folly Mill Gardens next to the site, say they have conclusive evidence the badgers are still in residence.

And backed by Bridport Town Council they successfully persuaded the development control committee to halt the building work and order a new independent badger survey of the land.

Chairman Fred Horsington used his casting vote to back the protesters after the committee decision was split 4-4.

The reprieve came after Mr Britton argued that Dr Brown’s findings were flawed.

He said: “Julian Brown has always said that a latrine was evidence of badgers being there – and I have found one.

“I discovered it on the edge of my garden – it was new and just opened.

“You can see where they are coming through from the building site – there is a pathway grown over into a tunnel because the undergrowth there is not cut.

“Where there is a badger latrine then normally a sett is fairly adjacent.”

After the meeting Mrs Britton said they were delighted to have won at least a temporary stay of execution for the badgers.

She said: “All we were asking for was an independent survey as were the town council.

“I am a great believer in right and wrong and I don’t need people telling me the badgers are not there when I can see them digging up my lawn and making tunnels. Harry also found their latrine.

“It is all very well people with degrees telling me they know they are not there and I may be only a housewife but the fact is I live there and I can see them.

“Now we will just have to wait and see what happens next.”

Bridport district councillor Karl Wallace, who also spoke up for the badgers at the meeting, said he was delighted at the outcome.

“Councillor Tony Frost argued that homes were more important than wildlife but I said they should be given equal prominence,” he said.