A RED kite has been nursed back to health by a little girl whose school adopted one of the birds released in the region last July.

Jane Baldwin, six, helped her father, David, to look after the bird, named Spark, which he found at the side of the road.

It was one of 20 set free in Gateshead's Derwent Valley as part of the Northern Kites project, which aims to reintroduce the species to the region after 150 years.

Jane's school, Birtley East Primary School, near Gateshead, had already adopted one of the freed birds, called Scarlet, while Spark was adopted by neighbouring school Harlow Green Juniors, Gateshead.

Mr Baldwin spotted Spark when he was driving on the Western Bypass near Team Valley.

It had a cracked wing bone and was thought to have been hit by a car.

Mr Baldwin took Spark home to Birtley, where Jane helped to feed it using a syringe, before it was taken to Ashfield Veterinary Surgery in Lanchester, County Durham.

Staff from the project are now looking after it and it is hoped to re-release it next week.