‘Don’t stop me now’ in the crusade against the badger cull, was Queen guitarist Brian May’s message when he visited a Pembrokeshire farm.

Rock star Brian May has become the most high profile opponent to the proposed badger cull in north Pembrokeshire, and visited Stephen James’ farm at Gelli Olau, Bethesda, for a televised debate on the issue.

Mr James, deputy president of NFU Cymru, had his first case of bovine TB in 1983 and is currently subject to a movement restriction. He supports the pilot cull as part of a range of measures aimed at eradicating bovine TB.

Mr James’ kitchen was the arena for the debate, which was shown as part of ITV’s Wales this Week programme last Thursday.

“I believe reducing numbers of badgers in the cull area, where bovine TB is endemic, will have a positive effect by reducing numbers of affected cattle,” said Mr James, whose farm falls outside the cull zone.

However, Mr May, who flew in by helicopter, insists Wales should be following England’s lead and vaccinating badgers instead, as he thinks it represents a longer-term solution and is more cost effective.

He insists a cull would only work if every badger in the UK was destroyed.

“Why would you want to kill badgers when vaccination is proven to be better at controlling the disease than culling?” he said.

But Mr James said vaccinating badgers will not cure animals already infected.

He added: “There is no one silver bullet solution, even if vaccination works. We have got to control numbers. We are not about getting rid of badgers, we are about getting rid of TB.

“Badgers may not be the main problem but they are part of the problem which is why a cull must be part of a comprehensive range of specific measures, including cattle movement restrictions.”

A decision on the High Court judicial review of the decision to allow a badger cull is expected by the end of the month.