An alpaca called Geronimo, which twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis, will have to be slaughtered, the High Court has ruled.

The animal’s owner had been appealing to save him, believing the tests were returning false positives.

Helen Macdonald has been refused permission to have the animal tested a third time – but the court concluded there was “no prospect” of success in her bid to overturn an earlier ruling.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) says she will not have to destroy Geronimo today.

Ms Macdonald lost her final appeal at the High Court earlier this month and a warrant was issued for the alpaca to be euthanised.

More than 130,000 people have signed a petition calling on the prime minister to halt the killing.

Ms Macdonald, who owns a farm at Wickwar near Bristol, imported Geronimo from New Zealand in 2017.

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