THE plight of the red squirrel has been brought to the fore in the classroom with the launch of an education pack.

The Red Alert North-East pack, which was unveiled by television personality and environmentalist Bill Oddie, introduces a range of national curriculum subjects into the drive to preserve the species. The pack, sponsored by Northumbrian Water Environmental Trust and produced by the Durham and Northumberland wildlife trusts, was tested out by children from High Spen School, in Chopwell Woods, Gateshead.

Red squirrel conservation officer Jason Reynolds said the pack would help pupils in mathematics, English and science, while raising awareness of the need to conserve the red squirrel.

He said: "It will prove really useful to schools because it sets out to achieve the aims of the national curriculum."

The pack includes fact sheets on the red squirrel and woodland codes, and games.

The red squirrel, which is native to the area, is threatened by the grey squirrel, which was introduced from America and has been steadily moving north, displacing the red variety