The Suffolk community are fighting to save a newly discovered hummingbird in Ecuador from extinction.

World Land Trust (WLT), who are based in Halesworth, have launched an urgent appeal to save the birds habitat in Ecuador from being destroyed.

The blue-throated hillstar was discovered last year and is already at risk of becoming extinct by metal mining.

The local organisation are raising funds for the rare breed's habitat to come under government-level protection.

Richard Cuthbert, Director of Conservation at WLT said: 'This is a unique opportunity to save a critically endangered species from extinction.

'If we do not act now, mining corporations can move in on the habitat and create a mine which would most likely wipe out the hillstar population,' Mr Cuthbert said.

'The fact that we are continuing to discover new species in habitats facing threats like mining shows that we may not even be aware of the ecological damage these activities are causing.'