MORE harvest mice have been released into the North-East countryside as part of a programme to save the species from extinction.

Stockton Borough Council has been breeding harvest mice, and 50 of them were recently released at Castle Eden Walkway.

The release took place on a former arable field recently purchased by the council with help from a grant from the Countryside Agency.

Council countryside ranger Ian Bond had the idea of reintroducing them to the site because it was one of the animal's last known breeding areas.

He said: "Harvest mice probably died out along the walkway as their grassy habitats became overgrown with bushes and trees.

"Over the years, work by the countryside team has restored some of those grassy, wildflower-rich areas, but until now I was unsure as to whether there would be enough habitat to sustain a good population of mice.

"However, with the purchase of this field, the mice have several acres of habitat to expand into."

The captive breeding programme from mice donated by Chester Zoo is co-ordinated by Pam Stewart, who works at the British Wildlife Centre, at Preston Park, near Stockton.

She has recruited a number of schools to help look after the mice.

She said: "Keeping the mice has given the children a unique opportunity to become involved with wildlife, as well as being a very good educational tool in the school curriculum. Consequently, we are keen to encourage other schools to get involved with the programme."

The programme has attracted interest from other local authorities and conservation organisations, as well as sponsorship from local company Air Products.

Stockton Borough Council's countryside team is now looking for other sites where harvest mice could be released.