Stanley Johnson backs death row alpaca Geronimo

Geronimo should be spared, according to the Prime Minister's father Stanley Johnson (right). Credit: PA

The Prime Minister’s father has come out in support of a Gloucestershire alpaca that has been condemned to die.

Stanley Johnson has backed the campaign to save Geronimo, who lives on a farm in Wickwar.

A High Court judge ruled the animal must be put down to protect other livestock after he twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB).

His owner Helen Macdonald has disputed the results and maintains her alpaca is perfectly healthy.

Helen Macdonald pictured with her alpaca Geronimo. Credit: PA

More than 90,000 people have signed an online petition to save Geronimo and a protest march is taking place in London today (August 9).

Writing in The Sun newspaper, Mr Johnson said the alpaca should be given “a stay of execution”.

"As far as I'm concerned, it is absolutely possible and necessary for the secretary of state George Eustice to have a stay of execution," he said.

Geronimo has been condemned to die. Credit: PA

"Why? Because when this animal was tested when he came to England, yes there might have been a positive result, and the owner thinks it was a false positive, but that is several years ago.

"An animal that is diseased would not have survived five years, that is for sure.

"There is a case, surely, to let this lady have one test now, she says there is a new test now, surely that is the right thing to do - not just to say 'the law must take its course'.”