Red squirrels released in Cornwall

Three red squirrels are to be released into a special enclosure on the Trewithen Estate near Truro.

The last red squirrel disappeared from the wild in Cornwall in 1984, leaving the grey squirrel to dominate.

Grey squirrels were first introduced to Britain from North America in 1876. Soon they were competing with the country's indigenous red squirrel for both food and space. Grey squirrels are also immune to the squirrel pox virus they carried. Many red British counterparts became infected and were lost in vast numbers.

The new red squirrels at Trewithen will be protected from the greys by living in a specially built enclosure. Two females from Paradise Park near Hayle will join a male from Wales.Their offspring could eventually be released into the wild on the Lizard and around far West of Cornwall.

You can follow Kathy Wardle on Twitter.