NATURE lovers in an historic market town are on a mission to preserve one of its most symbolic birds.

Volunteers in Masham are launching a campaign to save the swifts, after building renovations have seen a steep decline in numbers.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to get behind the scheme, which will include the installation of nesting boxes.

Carla McCowen, campaigner, said: “There have been swifts in Masham for hundreds of years, yet their numbers are declining fast; instead of hundreds, last year there were only 20 or 30 pairs.

“One of the main reasons for this is that old buildings are being renovated, and new buildings do not provide space for them.

“Nesting sites can be created quite easily, by putting up boxes, or by providing access to internal spaces.”

She wants to see boxes put up around the town, especially on the church and old brewery buildings.

In the UK, figures show the swift population has halved in the past 20 years.

Swifts breed in the UK in the summer months, before migrating to Africa in winter.

Chris Collett, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) spokesperson for Northern England, said: “Unfortunately the declining number of swifts is a national trend and we are worried about how much they are under threat.

“They look for nests in roof spaces, but this is a problem as new buildings are airtight so they can’t get in.

“We are doing more to advise house builders to use swift bricks, which have special holes in them.

“Swifts are on our radar as being under threat. They are amber listed so there is moderate concern.”

A meeting will be held in Masham Town Hall on Friday (November 10) at 7pm when there will be a talk by Tanya and Edmund Hoare, who set up nesting boxes in Sedbergh, Cumbria.

Campaigners in the town want to inspire residents and businesses to do the same.

Mrs McCowen added: “We have had quite a lot of interest and we hope the meeting will generate more commitment from people to make boxes, as well as firms volunteering to put them up.

“It is very important to get behind the scheme so we don’t lose them altogether.”