BIRDWATCHERS are calling on North-East motorists to help with an new survey - by counting the number of squashed bugs on their number plates.

The RSPB's Big Bug Count runs from next Tuesday and is aimed at finding out if the insect numbers are declining in the region.

Participants will be armed with a "splatometer" to help them count the insect impacts on their number plates, and the data collected from drivers in the different areas of the UK will help RSPB scientists build a picture of insect populations across the country.

David Hirst, of the RSPB's North of England region, said: "Big Bug Count can be done on any journey - ideally between 20 and 80 miles - you take during June.

"We hope that lots of people in the region will take part in this survey and help us understand the local situation.

"Little is known about what is happening to our insect populations, but anecdotal evidence suggests that numbers of insects are declining.

"This could be bad news for some of our best-loved birds, which rely on insects as a vital pre-packed source of protein."

RSPB Big Bug Count will not identify causes of insect declines, but it will provide an important first step in helping to monitor future changes in the abundance of flying bugs across the UK.

To take part in the survey, call the Big Bug Count hotline number 0870 787 5577 (calls charged at national rate) or visit the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/bugcount. An online survey form will also be available from next Tuesday.