Rescue operation under way as red squirrel becomes trapped in Pitlochry Greggs store

A red squirrel is being rescued after becoming trapped inside of a bakery in Perthshire.

Greggs in the town of Pitlochry is closed for the day after an animal rescue team was called in to save the squirrel, which had initially been found in the roof of the premises on Saturday.

Red squirrels are a protected species in Scotland as ecological challenges have reduced their population which is now threatened.

It is understood that the Greggs will remain closed on Tuesday and will reopen once it had been thoroughly cleaned.

The squirrel has become trapped inside the popular bakery (Pic: Shona Rollo)

The Scottish SPCA’s animal rescue team are in the process of gaining access to the shop to assess the situation.

A Scottish SPCA spokesperson said: “We were initially contacted about a squirrel in the roof of a premises in Pitlochry on September 24.

“As the squirrel was very high up in the rafters we advised the member of the public to leave an exit for the squirrel in the hope the animal would come down of their own accord.

“Unfortunately that hasn’t been the case and a member of our animal rescue team is now in the process of trying to gain access to the shop to assess the situation.”

Red squirrels are Scotland’s native species and have lived in the UK for around 10,000 years.

Grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s, the first record of them escaping and establishing a wild population is 1876.

There are estimated to be only 160,000 red squirrels remaining in the UK, 75% of which are in Scotland.

Without concerted and effective action to protect them, the red squirrels that remain in Scotland could disappear within our lifetime, according to the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Greggs has been contacted for comment.