RESIDENTS have complained about nuisance badgers in and around the city.

One lady, whose garden has already been damaged by the animals, fears her property will once again be invaded this autumn.

Another resident thinks a badger ripped his cat's jaw off while it was roaming around a Worcester golf course.

Patricia Marsh, from Lower Wick, near Worcester, said: “The worst time for me was late summer and autumn last year.

“I dread autumn in case they invade again. I believe in autumn they are trying to fill up ready for the winter.

“They don’t usually dig if the grass is perfect, but grass like mine which is mossy and has the big flat weeds and dandelions they love as a lot of grubs are underneath.”

Ms Marsh says she cannot fully fence off her garden and believes that even if she could the badgers would still find a way around it.

She said: “It’s so upsetting. Some carry a lot of germs and it’s dreadful clearing up there dumps.

"There must be a lot of people like us getting upset because of the mess and germs they carry and bring in our gardens.

"I don’t know why they are a protected animal as they do so much damage everywhere, I feel sorry also for poor farmers."

A 30-year-old resident, called Chris, from Nunnery Walk, Worcester, also had a negative experience with badgers recently.

He said: "Our cat came back after an excursion - we presume on the golf course on Bransford Road - and came back with his lip ripped down to the bottom of his jaw.

"His lower lip was detached.

"The vet had to sew it back under general anaesthetic, and said the dentition matched a badger. He didn't think a rat would do this much damage."

Luckily, the resident's one-year-old cat, Bertie, made a full recovery after his trip to Severn Veterinary Centre.