Animal rights activists could target the Forest of Dean if there is a major cull of the wild boar roaming the woodlands, the authorities have been warned.

Councillor Alastair Fraser (Ind, Tidenham) issued the stern warning to a task force set up to find the best way of tackling the boar in the Forest.

Some members of the group still want an outright cull and this week renewed their calls for the boar to be exterminated claiming they are a nuisance and a danger to the public.

But Mr Fraser, who has three boars of his own and runs a llama trekking business in the Forest, warned any attempts to kill the boars could attract the wrath of extremists.

"If we do do it, you have to understand that it could leave us open to animal rights groups," said Mr Fraser who supports limited control of numbers. "That could be a terrible problem for the Forest if we got it wrong."

Cllr Fraser was speaking at a meeting of the wild boar group set up to advise Forest Enterprise what the council and the local community wants them to do about the feral pigs.

Members are pulling together local opinion and expert evidence for a report which could go to the Verderers as early as next month.

This week they heard evidence from various parish councils and the NFU.

Highways spurned the invitation and the task group were told that a Gloucestershire County Council trading standards official had said there was no point coming along because he did not want to toe the Defra line. He feared the boar posed a danger of swine disease but reportedly told officials he could not express his opinion.

Councillors are divided between whether the boar are a threat to tourists or an attraction.

But Cllr James Bevan (Con, Lydney), said Foresters had to choose between bluebells and the boar.He clamed the best bluebell woods England are in the Soudley Valley and are on the verge of being grubbed up for good by the pigs.

Although most members of the task force support a cull of some sort, they remain divided on how extensive it should be and are considering going on a boar hunt to help them make up their minds once and for all.

Farmer and councillor Phil Burford (Ind, Hartpury) suggested a fact finding mission after learning many members of the task group had not seen the tusked beasts in the flesh.

Cllr Fraser, who supports a limited cull told councillors they were unlikely to find the nocturnal elusive beasts which hide in the woodlands.

But Chairman Cllr Terry Hale (Con, Newland and St Briavels) said he would try to grant their wishes ahead of a final vote on the future of the boar.

"I will try to get some sort of visit but I think there may be practical problems," he said.