ORANGE footballs are being used in the fight to save a colony of rare birds.

Conservationists and Northern Electric Distribution have come up with an extraordinary way to stop black grouse, one of the country's rarest birds, from flying into overhead power lines in Teesdale, County Durham.

Phil Warren, officer with the Black Grouse Recovery Project, said "Black grouse fly at up to 60 miles per hour and collisions with power lines can be fatal.

"Marking of these lines to make them more visible to black grouse, in conjunction with the habitat management and predator control, will contribute to securing and increasing the numbers of black grouse in Teesdale, which is the English stronghold for these rare birds."

Backed by English Nature, the Game Conservancy Trust, RSPB, Ministry of Defence and Northumbrian Water, the plans form part of the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project.

The project has spent tens of thousands of pounds in safeguarding the endangered birds.

Stuart Hedley, English Nature's conservation officer, said: "This type of air traffic control measure is proving very successful in other parts of the country.

"The footballs increase the visibility of the power lines and so reduce collisions.

"We're delighted that Northern Electric Distribution are installing these simple yet effective measures which are a must in maintaining bird numbers."