ORANGE footballs are being suspended from problem power lines in the North Pennines in a fight to save rare birds.

Conservationists and NEDL (Northern Electric Distribution) have put their heads together to come up with the extraordinary way to stop black grouse, one of the country's rarest birds, from flying into overhead power cables.

Phil Warren, black grouse recovery project officer, said, "The grouse fly at up to 60mph and collisions with power lines can be fatal.

"Marking them to make them more visible to the birds, in conjunction with the habitat management and predator control undertaken in these areas, will contribute to securing and increasing the numbers in the North Pennines, which is the English stronghold for these rare birds."

Backed by English Nature, the Game Conservancy Trust, RSPB, MoD and Northumbrian Water, the plans form part of the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project, on which tens of thousands of pounds have been spent in safeguarding this endangered creature.

Stuart Hedley, a conservation officer with English Nature, 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."

In 1998 the English black grouse population was estimated to include just 800 displaying males. Through the work of the project the number of males has now increased to 895.