THE badger cull in Gloucestershire has fallen massively short of its mark – with fewer than half the target number of badgers killed this year.

Figures by Defra reveal that 274 badgers were culled in the county, a far stretch from the minimum target of 615.

Defra has said the level of protests and anti-cull activism was notably higher in Gloucestershire than it was Somerset.

Environment Secretary Liz Truss, in a statement to the government, said: "The results in Gloucestershire reflect the challenges of extensive unlawful protest and intimidation."

However, Gloucestershire Police said there were only three arrests for criminal offences during the period of the cull and most protest activity was conducted lawfully.

Last year's pilot cull failed to meet its target in both Gloucestershire and Somerset, and an independent panel found the culls were ineffective and inhumane.

This year Somerset managed to exceed their goal, with 351 badgers killed and a minimum target of 316.

Defra’s findings show that 166 were shot and 108 trapped in Gloucestershire. In Somerset, 147 were shot and 194 trapped.

The figures show none of the shot badgers, which were observed by staff from Natural England monitoring the humaneness of the cull, took longer than five minutes to die.

The report concludes the levels of accuracy achieved in this year's cull were "slightly, but not significantly" improved compared to 2013.

The pilot culls are aimed at testing how effective, humane and safe a cull can be.