COUNTRY-lover Holly Rogerson has landed her dream job - battling an American invader.

She’s just been given the newly-created role of red squirrel ranger in the Yorkshire Dales.

And, using humane traps, she will work full-time to keep grey squirrels out of the protected nature reserve of Greenfield Forest, near Hawes.

Her appointment follows the Forestry Commission's pledge of £153,000 to forestry and environmental company UPM Tilhill, which manages the site.

Deputy district manager George Hay said the aim was to push the greys beyond a buffer zone set up around the forest, allowing the reds to strengthen their foothold.

The decline in red squirrel populations in England is principally due to the North American grey squirrel. Not only are they better at competing for food but they also carry the parapox virus, which is lethal to reds.

Red squirrels were first confirmed in Greenfield Forest - a large, principally coniferous, woodland covering 1,075 hectares - in 2004.

The conifers produce a small seed enough to keep red squirrels nourished but not suitable for the greys. Greenfield is one of four red squirrel reserves in the Yorkshire Dales.

Mr Hay added: "Together with the Forestry Commission, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Save Our Squirrels, UPM Tilhill is working to create a reserve robust enough to act as a reservoir for the red squirrels to migrate to other suitable areas."

Holly was previously self employed in the agricultural sector. Her interest in the forest spans many years and has recently been controlling Grey Squirrels at Greenfield on a voluntary basis.