Eight places where you can see rare red squirrels in the North East

With invasive grey squirrels overpowering the native reds across most of England, Northumberland and County Durham are some of the last places in the country that you can hope to spot these beautiful creatures.

Friday January 21 is 'Red Squirrel Appreciation Day,' established in 2001 by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove to acknowledge the role that these animals play in nature and the environment.

Invasive grey squirrels are a much more common sight and present across much of the North East but if you know where to look, you can spot their smaller and rarer cousins in our region too.