On Friday morning, a red squirrel was pictured enjoying a snack in the Broughton area.
Vince Martin has been a member of South Lakes Red Squirrel Group for around six months.
The picture was taken by his wife Jacqui Martin.
(Image: Jacqui Martin) “We recently moved to the Lake District just over a year ago and I joined the group to help encourage the reds and give them a bit of a helping hand,” Vince said.
The picture was taken from the couple’s home and shows the woodland creature tucking into a tasty treat in front of their house.
Talking about capturing this rare sight on camera, Vince said: “It’s great, it’s not the first time we’ve seen a red outside, they’ve popped by a couple of times over the past few months, but it’s the first time we’ve had a chance to get any pictures.
“There’s a lot of work ongoing in controlling the greys. Humane traps are used to control the grey population because they carry squirrel pox, which only effects the reds.
“I think that the work is now starting to pay off and allowing the reds to get a foothold. It seems like the reds are starting to move into the area and their numbers are increasing.”
Fellow member Mike Frear said: “South Lakes Red Squirrel Group are actively controlling greys in the area where this red has been sighted and I’m delighted to tell you it’s 30 years since reds have been in that location.
“We protect the reds as much as we can in our area. There are more red sightings up Ulpha so hopefully this is the start of something.”