The Officials get involved - part 4

On Friday morning, I entertained my U3A reading group. Our subject was the book Philomena, which we all thought was far too long, had too small print, and wasn't nearly as good as the film.  But afterwards, I brought up the subject of my badger problem. Margaret, one of our members, is married to an ex-councillor. So I asked her if he had any problems with people complaining about badger setts. She said he had one, where there was a sett in the playing field of the local primary school, and Cheshire Wildlife Trust had relocated them on that occasion. She promised to tell her husband and have him call me with his advice.

Five minutes after she left, the phone rang and it was her husband, saying he had contacted our new councillor (who I had voted for) and given him the details of his previous contacts.

I was so relieved that there was hope for a solution.

On Friday evening, I had a knock on the door, and it turned out to be our new councillor. I took him to see my sett, and he noticed what I hadn't (I blame my glaucoma) that one of my flower pots was still in place. He said that he had called the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, but they said there was nothing they could do. “Badgers are Protected.” I made sure he saw the huge hole that goes under the road, and mentioned how my grandkids would be in danger of coming into contact with badger droppings, and the risk of falling down the hole. He promised he would keep looking into it, and I said he was free to come into the garden during my two week absence, if he needed to show the evidence
to anyone. He told me not to remove the flower pot.

My daughter said she thought I should remove it, as it clearly is against the law to obstruct the sett in any way, so I tried, but it was wedged in too tightly, and I also noticed that the badger had put his special mixture of mud and grass cuttings on the inside of the flower pot – as if assuming that he was going to be staying, despite the obstruction. If he could chew a bigger hole in the bottom, he would have a very sturdy entrance hall. So I am not feeling guilty as I go away.

Later in the day I ran into a neighbour from across the road. I mentioned that I had badgers in my garden and he assumed, as most would, that it was casual visits to look for worms. But when I told him that I had a permanent resident, including a huge hole he became quite concerned. Apparently
their small yappy dog had gone down a badger hole and it had taken ages to get him out again. His kids come into my garden quite often, as they kick or hit their various balls from their garden into mine. So at least they are now warned.

So who knows what I will find when I return from America. I hope the problem will be solved and the hole filled in and the sett materials removed. I hope that they do some weeding for me while they're at it. But somehow I don't think that will be the case.