A County Durham wildlife group is conducting a special survey in the region in a bid to protect some slippery recluses.

Durham Biodiversity Partnership yesterday launched a new action plan in which it has called on the public to report any sightings of snakes and slow-worms during the summer months.

The Partnership, which helps safeguard our most threatened wildlife is carrying out the postcard and web-based survey aimed at gathering as much information as possible about grass snakes, adders and slow-worms.

Grass snakes and adders are the only two native snakes found locally and although slow-worms look like snakes they are actually legless lizards.

Very little is known about the whereabouts or numbers of slow-worms and grass snakes in the Durham area and it is hoped that new information will help wildlife workers to protect existing colonies which may be under threat from development or inappropriate land management.

The survey is the first of many planned local public-participation surveys on a new website created for the Durham Biodiversity Partnership - www.durhambiodiversity.org.uk

Anyone not having access to the internet can pick up a postcard survey form which are being distributed to libraries and wildlife visitor centres all over the Durham area from Gateshead to Darlington.

Andy Lees Partnership Officer said: "This is the first survey we have launched on our website. It should help pinpoint colonies of snakes and slow-worms and then we can advise land-owners and managers about the right kind of management to help safeguard reptiles.''

He added that the group only wanted people to send in information on sightings "not to go and seek snakes out.''