A badger colony threatened with execution has been spared after a five-day street protest by animal welfare campaigners.

The controversial cull at Saltdean, Brighton, was abandoned last night, to the delight of 120 protesters who cheered as police officers removed 14 traps from gardens.

One protester shouted: "If they come back, we come back."

Campaigners had maintained a vigil since Thursday morning and during the weekend more than 200 people gathered to try to prevent badgers being trapped and shot.

Trevor Weekes, of the South Downs Badger Protection Group, who had stayed at the site since news of the cull broke, said: "I'm absolutely delighted. I'm going to get a decent night's sleep and have a drink.

"The big issue here is that the residents had no idea there was going to be a cull, the RSPCA didn't know and Brighton and Hove City Council didn't know until they read the front page of The Argus last week."

Two badgers were taken from the sett and killed on Friday morning, sparking outrage among animal lovers.

The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) then agreed to suspend trapping for the weekend.

Last night, following talks between senior police officers and Defra, the cull was suspended indefinitely.

Lindy King, of the South Downs Badger Group, said: "Now talks can really begin as to where we can go from here."

Mr Weekes was joined on the streets by overjoyed residents and protesters who cracked open a bottle of champagne to celebrate.

One resident said: "We are delighted things are hopefully going to get back to normal. It has been quite fraught and traumatic and hopefully it's going to be resolved in a way that is acceptable to everybody."

John Austin-Locke, of Coombe Vale, Saltdean, said: "This is absolutely wonderful news. It's quite extraordinary. These badgers are so much part of the Saltdean scene. I'm utterly thrilled.

"It just goes to show what can be done by strength of feeling and people going on to the streets."

The group held a minute's silence for the killed badgers.

The cull - the first granted by the Government in six years - was issued at the request of four householders who said their homes and gardens were being wrecked.

Superintendent Peter Coll of Brighton and Hove police said: "Defra cannot go back on to the site and start any form of trapping without negotiations with the police, and certainly there are no plans for that in the immediate future.

"We agreed there had to be a rethink. If there is such strength of feeling in the area, we have to be aware of that."

Mr Coll said the traps were removed while the protesters were at the site so they would be reassured there would be no killing.

He said there had been no arrests during the peaceful protest, adding: "The police presence, I hope, has been balanced and I hope has been reassuring to all parties.

"The protesters have been well behaved and, in fairness, Defra has listened to the concerns and are now thinking of other options."

Resident Pauline Price said: "We are very pleased. We just hope it continues to be monitored. We do not want the badgers killed."

Animal health and welfare minister Elliot Morley said: "The decision to grant a licence for the humane dispatch of the badgers was taken with great reluctance.

"So far no viable alternative for the solution of this problem has been presented to us, despite every effort being made to find one. However, no further trapping of badgers will take place for the time being.

"Relocation presents welfare issues all agree are difficult to resolve in these circumstances.

"After all the efforts already made, there is no guarantee that answers to these problems will be found. But this is an opportunity to ensure no alternative is overlooked and all who have a view have an opportunity to make it known."