'Wall' to protect red squirrels

Control officers are to be appointed to protect red squirrels

An imaginary "Hadrian's Wall" is to be set up to stop infected grey squirrels crossing the border into Scotland and wiping out their red cousins.

Two officers are to be appointed with orders to control the greys by shooting them if they invade reds' territory.

The Southern Uplands Partnership has advertised for the officers in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Recent research said the reds risked being killed off within 10 years by the virus-carrying greys.

Scotland is the home to more than 75% of the UK's 160,000 red squirrel population and the border crossing is seen as a strategic defensive point.

The plan is to create an imaginary Hadrian's Wall to stop the greys getting into the reds area because we have not had a case yet Elly Hamilton Red squirrel conservation officer

Elly Hamilton, the Borders-based red squirrel conservation officer, said that the threat to the Scottish populations was "very serious".

"It is only a matter of time before the greys pass this virus over to the Scottish reds and this may eventually prove fatal to red squirrel populations," she said.

"This is a very serious threat.

"The plan is to create an imaginary Hadrian's Wall to stop the greys getting into the reds' area because we have not had a case yet.

"It is vital we control the grey population to stop them coming over from Cumbria."

The officers will also be involved in research into the pox virus which appears not to harm greys but is fatal to reds.