Councillor Durkin said that the authority is working closely with Natural England and that after applying for a licence, it will look at the road infrastructure to accommodate the badgers and the health and safety and convenience of local people.

BBC: Badger sett causes Herefordshire bridge to be closed

Zynga is also applying for a gaming licence in Nevada, home of Las Vegas, in order to offer players a new suite of casino-style games on which they can bet real money, in conjunction with the online gambling firm Bwin.

BBC: Zynga brings losses under control

The decision to strip the university of its permission to recruit foreign students prompted an outcry from the higher education sector and concerns that foreign students would be put off applying for universities in the UK. It was the first time a UK university had lost its licence in this way.

BBC: London Met wins back foreign student licence