An urgent warning has been issued over the future of Merseyside's squirrels amid health concerns for the animals.
The ‘Saving Sefton’s Squirrels’ fundraiser has until the end of January to meet its target of £13,000. The red squirrel, found along the north Merseyside coast, faces local extinction without the vital funding towards the daily work of the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.
Molly Frost, red squirrel officer for the Wildlife Trust, said: “The hard work of the local community and Lancashire Trust has allowed the red squirrel to survive here.