ONE of the country's rarest seabirds is facing a bleak future in the region after being targeted by vandals and an egg collector.

Environmentalists fear attacks on the Teesmouth breeding grounds have combined with natural hazards to scare away the beach-nesting little tern.

The seabird had been a popular visitor to the North-East coast in previous years, but this year there have been few birds spotted and a lack of breeding in the area.

Worst hit has been Crimdon Dene, on the boundary of the Hartlepool and Easington district, which had become the bird's favoured nesting site since 1995.

Last year an egg collector was prosecuted after he stole the eggs of an entire colony at Crimdon Dene and this year no breeding has occurred at the site which he disturbed, even though 34 little terns had been seen earlier in the year.

Nature has also played its part in the fall of successful breeding of the birds.

Nine clutches of eggs were laid at Coatham Sands, near Redcar, this year, but two chicks were taken by a fox and most of the other nests were destroyed by the tide.

Another nest on Seaton Carew beach disappeared within days of it being built and at South Gare Island only two of eight nests survived.

The Industry Nature Conservation Association (Inca) believes attacks by gulls and foxes account for most of the losses, but they do know of one nest being destroyed by a group of teenagers.

Chairman of the Inca board Joe Campbell said: "We hope the reduction in little tern is a one-off and that they return next year in greater numbers."

As well as monitoring the number of little terns in Teesmouth, Inca has been looking at the number of seal pups born in the area - and found some good news.

Seal, which were missing from Teesmouth for 100 years, have established thriving colonies since their return in the 1960s and 1970s, and there are currently 54 harbour seals and 27 grey seals in the area.

This year the harbour seals have produced four young, proving that the breed is thriving.

Ms Campbell said: "The harbour seals are residents and the success of the colony points to an improving environment of the River Tees."

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