ECOLOGISTS are on a life-saving mission in Huddersfield.

They are battling to save a rare type of native crayfish from extinction.

White-clawed crayfish used to live in abundance in the River Colne and Huddersfield Narrow Canal – but have been wiped out by the dominant North American signal crayfish.

There are now just two known locations in the area – in Lockwood – where the small freshwater crayfish, also known as Atlantic stream crayfish, still survive.

And Beth Allcock, from Environmental Alliance, told the Examiner quick action must be taken because a whole colony can be wiped out in a matter of hours.

She said: “Just like the red squirrel was pushed out by the grey, the native crayfish becomes extinct in the presence of the signal crayfish.”

As well as being larger and stronger, the signal crayfish – which were introduced into the UK for farming and escaped into rivers and streams – carry crayfish plague which is deadly to white-clawed crayfish. Beth and ecologist Darren Sharp, from Slaithwaite, have captured some of the native crayfish and taken them to a safe haven – a pond at Bradley Park Golf Course.