The money will be spent on creating habitats and even bridges for the fish-eating mammals, now thriving after fighting their way back from the brink of extinction.

Otters are being spotted in the borough increasingly often, included one seen trying to steal fish from a garden pond in Jarrow last month.

They have also returned to the River Don in the borough for the first time in 50 years.

South Tyneside Council's countryside team is supporting the return of the otter after securing a grant from SITA.

Coun Barrie Scorer, the council's lead member for environment and transport, said: "We have received £28,500 through our involvement in the Durham Biodiversity Partnership, which was awarded more than £140,000 by SITA to make the whole area more otter-friendly.

"We plan to spend the money on improving otter habitats and installing mammal bridges in road underpasses.

"Local people and community groups can also play their part by getting involved in planting around the new otter habitats that we create.

"This really is wonderful news. It is fantastic to see otters back on the Don, and this funding will enable us to improve the area for otters and help their re-establishment on our waterways. The project will start in about April next year."

Otters had not been recorded on the Don for half a century until their droppings were spotted in 2003 at Hedworth, Jarrow, by the council's countryside team.

More otters have since been reported along the full length of the river.

A Jarrow man who suspected otters of stealing fish from his pond contacted the WildPlaces project, run by North East WildLife Trusts, and it set up a camera in his garden.

The resulting footage, showing an otter being thwarted by a net over the pond, can be seen at www.urbanwildplaces.co.uk

A talk about the return of the otter will be given by Jim Cokill, of Durham Wildlife Trust, at Jarrow Community Centre on Wednesday, February 3.

The otter events programme is available in libraries and tourist information centres or online here.