The Scottish red squirrel’s war for survival against its invading grey cousins has been bolstered with nature funding of £1million to expand a Highland “buffer zone”.

The cash has been announced to aid red squirrel conservation efforts in key areas across Scotland for the next two years.

It will support the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels scheme (SSRS), led by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, in fighting off the greys menace not only in the Highlands but in the central lowlands and the north-east too.

Fresh funds will enable new control networks in the northern lowlands led by increased year-round professional grey squirrel control officers.