The UK's water vole population has declined by 90% in recent years

The tiny mammal's biggest predator is the mink and visitors will help make traps for them called rafts.

The event takes place at Lamesley Pastures in Gateshead, on Saturday. A talk on water voles will also be held at St Andrew's Church nearby.

Numbers of the elusive mammal have declined by 90% in recent years because of preying mink and loss of habitats.

A spokeswoman for Gateshead Council said: "Wildlife experts will be offering a rare insight into the life of the elusive water vole in an area of Gateshead where efforts to protect this endangered species are under way."

The rafts are hollow structures with a clay lining which show up the paw prints of mink. Traps are them laid inside the rafts which are placed on river banks but can float without being damaged.

Water voles were the inspiration for Ratty in Kenneth Grahame's classic story Wind in the Willows.

Studies have predicted the vole will become extinct in the UK by 2012 if more is not done to protect the species.