I would like to appeal to Evening Press readers to help us with a survey of house sparrows to be carried out between May 3 and 11.

In recent years numbers of these popular birds have declined dramatically and we urgently need more information to help find out why they are in big trouble in many areas.

Incredibly, numbers have more than halved in the last 25 years - an estimated loss of 9.6 million birds. We need to find out where house sparrows are doing well and where they are doing badly.

The more people taking part, the better our information will be. You don't need to be an expert to take part and you can get a sparrow survey form by calling 0870 6010215 or take part online at www.rspb.org.uk/sparrowatch.

On any day between May 3 and 11 we would like you to tell us about your local house sparrows by answering a few straightforward questions.

Your records, whether you saw any sparrows or not, will help build up a better picture of house sparrows not only in Yorkshire but across the UK.

David Hirst,

RSPB, North of England,

Newcastle upon Tyne.

Updated: 12:17 Saturday, April 26, 2003