Support has come in the shape of a generous private donation by the Prince of Wales to the Save our Squirrels (SoS) organisation.

It will be used for SoS's reds conservation work to ensure the continued survival of the species, which is under threat from the squirrel pox virus carried by grey squirrels.

A spokesperson for His Royal Highness said: "The Prince of Wales minds deeply about the fate of this very special British mammal. They are a delight in every way and are in desperate need of protection.

"His Royal Highness is so pleased to have been able to help."

Created by Red Alert North England, the SoS project is the largest single species conservation initiative in the UK.

Sixteen red squirrel reserves have been set-up in the North of England and the project also works closely with red squirrel conservation groups across the border in areas of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Carri Nicholson, Project Manager for SoS, which is based at Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT), said: "This donation is such amazing news for red squirrels and we cannot thank His Royal Highness enough for supporting the practical conservation work we do.

"Any donation to our activities is always welcomed, but even in our wildest dreams we never thought we would receive a donation that comes with a Royal seal of approval."

SoS receives 56 percent of its current funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, with the rest coming from members of Red Alert North England, a public-private partnership of organisations interested in the conservation of red squirrels on mainland England, corporate sponsorship and donations from individuals.

It is managed and directed by NWT.

Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of NWT, said: "We are delighted the Prince of Wales has shown such tangible support for a project that is vital to the continued presence of one of Britain's most endangered species. "

The donation comes on the back of a national Red Squirrel Week, which included a Red Squirrel Conference at Stannington Village Hall organised by SoS and Castle Morpeth Council.

Members of the public interested in doing their bit can take part in practical conservation work to protect red squirrels by phoning in all sightings of red squirrels to the National Squirrel Sightings Hotline on 0845 347 9375, or by volunteering their time and skills to support the project.

For more information about the SoS project, visit www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk or contact the team on 0191 284 6884.