A TINY North-East snail will next week take centre stage at the most important environmental gathering the world has seen in ten years.

The only English site for the round-mouthed whorl snail, which is only half a millimetre across, is on damp hillsides above the Cow Green reservoir, in Teesdale, in the North Pennines.

On Saturday, the animal will be the focus of attention at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which is being held in Johannesberg, South Africa - the biggest global environment event since the Rio summit, in 1992.

North-East ecologist Dr Chris Spray, environment director for Northumbrian Water, has been invited to address the summit and flies out from his County Durham home on Monday.

He said: "I will be talking about how business can become involved in conserving biodiversity, and using the round-mouthed whorl snail as an example."

Northumbrian Water has been working with English Nature, the Government's wildlife conservation organisation, to research the snail and take steps to ensure its survival.

It has also worked to help animals such as the otter in the North-East and chronicled its experiences in a handbook to be launched at the summit on Saturday.

The book is backed by several worldwide conservation organisations and explains how business can help wildlife and conserve habitats.

Dr Spray said: "The point I will be making is that, as a North-East business, it does not make sense for us to try to save the jungle, or the tiger or the panther.

"We have to work with their equivalent in the North-East. The round-mouthed whorl snail is an Arctic relic and this is the only place in England where it can be found.

"It is a quirky example of how businesses can go out and find out what is in their area and do something to help. If we were a timber company or a sand and gravel company it would be something different."