Thousands of salmon are being bred at secret locations in the South West.

They are being reared for release into the River Tamar - the border between Devon and Cornwall.

Four-year-old hen salmon are being trapped as they reach the West Country from Greenland to spawn.

Up to 5,000 eggs are taken from each fish and then fertilised.

They are being incubated under close guard by conservationists and anglers.

Future stocks

The young fry will be released shortly after hatching - about three months from fertilisation.

The exercise is being carried out to safeguard the future of salmon stocks in the region.

Other recent conservation efforts on the river have included the flooding of 35 acres of land on the National Trust's Cotehele estate.

The flooded area will gradually become a marine-life habitat.