The grant has been given to Save Our Squirrels, Northern Red Squirrels and local volunteer squirrel groups to support seven grey squirrel culling projects across the county.

The funding provides support for grey control in seven key areas around Northumberland for up to six months, including Barrowburn in Northumberland National Park, Harwood Forest and an area near Detchant and Lowick among others.

All of the areas covered by the projects currently have populations of red squirrels, a number of which are likely to become extinct in the next three years without intensive and sustained control of grey squirrel numbers.

By working together, the voluntary groups and Save Our Squirrels have created a strategic plan for grey control which will make the greatest possible difference to red squirrels with these limited funds.

The projects aim to work in all the woodlands shown in the map, and it is hoped that woodland owners will support the groups in achieving this.

The work will directly benefit the Kielder Forest Red Squirrel Reserve, home to England's largest remaining population of reds.

Sally Hardy, regional co-ordinator for Northern Red Squirrels, said: "The funding is great news for our red squirrels in Northumberland.

"Much hard work has been done by volunteers over the past few years to protect our populations of red squirrels from extinction and the funding will provide a much-needed boost to begin to tackle these key problem areas."

Upper Coquetdale Red Squirrel Group is also one of five to also receive funding to support the work of volunteers who carry out grey control in order to safeguard the population of red squirrels in the area.

For information on local squirrel groups contact Northern Red Squirrels via the website www.northernredsquirrels.org.uk, or contact Sally Hardy on 07878 061880.

Grey squirrel sightings can be reported via the National Squirrel Hotline, 0845 3479375, or the Save our Squirrels website, www.saveoursquirrels.org