FAMOUS Queen guitarist Brian May will be among the speakers at a public meeting on badgers at Bells Hotel, Coleford from 6.30pm on Friday (September 14).

He is coming to town to talk to local people about his concerns regarding the cull of badgers in the Forest, planned for this autumn.

The meeting, which also includes the chief executive of the RSPCA, Gavin Grant, has been organised by a newly formed organisation, Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting (GABS).

The organisation says it has been delighted by the support it has received from members of the public, landowners, farmers and businesses and hopes to inform more people in the Forest area through the meeting. They say Baroness Jan Royall is supporting their campaign.

The meeting at Bells Hotel will provide information and the opportunity for discussion on why the planned cull is unlikely to reduce the spread of Bovine TB, why vaccination would be better, safety concerns for the public during the shooting and what local people can do to raise their concerns to help prevent the cull going ahead.

The Gloucestershire Against Badger Shooting group has responded to local concern about the cull by providing information on their own website (http://www.glosagainst">www.glosagainst badgershooting.org), social media and local meetings.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: "The cull brings serious issues for local people, the most significant of which includes a risk to public safety that the free shooting of badgers at night with high velocity rifles brings and the potentially damaging affect on the tourism trade as people horrified by the cull boycott the area.

"This meeting will provide useful information for anyone concerned about the cull and who wants to speak out in order to try and prevent it going ahead. Brian May has previously spoken out against the cull publicly and we are delighted that he is coming to the Forest of Dean to talk to local people about his concerns."