Last updated 16:04, Wednesday, 25 June 2008

CUMBRIAN MP David Maclean has called for a mass cull of grey squirrels in Cumbria to safeguard the reds.

Inspired by a Northumberland-based pilot scheme, he plans to lobby the government’s Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for funding.

The MP for Penrith and the Border said: “It’s not a matter any more of people saying ‘I’d like to see a red squirrel in my area’. The reds will be extinct in 10 years.”

The Northumberland cull has seen 17,500 greys destroyed since January 2007, mainly through trapping and shooting.

With an estimated 2.5 million grey squirrels in the UK, there are now just 160,000 reds, concentrated in the North of England and Scotland.

“Defra are not doing enough to deal with the problem,” said Mr Maclean.

“We don’t need websites and population mapping, we need urgent action!”

The proposed cull would add to existing projects.