Three badgers have been found cruelly snared in the Petham area in the last month.

Members of the East Kent Badger Group are investigating the incidents and believe the same offender may be responsible.

Justin and Jean Piper from the group were out walking their dogs near the grounds of Petham House when they found a young female trapped in a wire snare.

Justin, a landscape gardener, said: “It was clearly exhausted through struggling and stress but still had some fight left in her.

“With the help of farmer Andrew Jackman, we managed to cut her free and put her in a secure cage to check her over for injuries.

“Apart from the stress and some bruising she seemed OK, so we let her free near her sett where we think she may have had cubs.”

He added: “It’s appalling that someone is doing this and very upsetting to see.”

Group chairman Martin Newcombe said snaring badgers was illegal and the RSPCA had been informed of the problem.

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