Red squirrels boost at National Trust's Wallington Hall

The red population was almost wiped out by grey squirrel pox

The number of red squirrels on a Northumberland estate has been boosted thanks to a conservation project aimed at helping the under-threat species.

Sightings of reds at Wallington Hall, near Morpeth, were just one a month in 2011 after pox-infected grey squirrels arrived in the woodland.

The National Trust, which owns the hall, took on a full time squirrel ranger thanks to local fundraisers.

Greys are closely monitored and dozens of reds are now being spotted daily.

Squirrel ranger Glen Graham said: "Wallington is a truly special place and it's a huge buzz to see our visitors enjoying the red squirrels - almost every day someone tells us that they saw their first ever red from our wildlife hide.

"Reds are much smaller and more delicate than their larger grey cousins, and their cheeky characters and amusing antics make them hard not to fall in love with, even for those of us lucky enough to see them every day."