Scientists are working on a vaccine that could offer hope against squirrelpox, which decimated much of Formby's red squirrel population.  Formby is a pine wood in Merseyside and is one of the last refuges of the red squirrel in England.

Red squirrels in this wood suffered from a devastating outbreak of squirrelpox (SQPV) in 2007 and 2008.  However, last year the population has recovered significantly due to schemes and projects which have sprung up to protect exisitng populations which have built them up to a much healthier level.

Dr Craig Shuttleworth is responsible for the north of Enghland Red Squirrel project and he insitsts that the red squirrel does have a viable future in the UK.  A vaccine could offer hope against the deadly threat of squirrelpox.

To read more about it, click on this link.