A RARE type of dragonfly could be buzzing back to Dorset in big numbers thanks to the launch of a new partnership between conservation groups.

Just six colonies of the southern damselfly remain in the Purbeck area of the county and experts are concerned because nationally its population is on the slide.

But the south west remains one of its last strongholds and organisers hope a new monitoring programme will help increase damselfly numbers.

The Environment Agency and conservation groups the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), English Nature and National Trust, have carried out a series of measures to improve conditions for the damselfly.

Moves to attract them back to the county include scrub clearance to keep streams open. And further surveying at southern damselfly sites at Creech Heath and Blue Pool, Purbeck, will now be able to take place after the RSPB received a cash boost.

The charity have been supported by clay company Imerys International, who have worked closely with damselfly experts over the last year and backed previous RSPB monitoring.

The moves are all part of a link- up between the Environment Agency, RSPB, English Nature, Ministry of Defence and the National Trust to encourage dragonflies to breed.

Emma Rothero of the Environment Agency said: "The new funding is marvellous news and will enable valuable monitoring work to be extended to two sites.

"The project is aiming to ensure that our conservation work results in the expected increase in damselfly numbers," she said.

"Site managers will now be able to pick up problems at an early stage if the populations show signs of decline, so this work is crucial for the long term survival of the damselflies," she added.

The Agency say the southern damselfly is easily identifiable as it is small in size, the length of a matchstick, bright blue in colour and has distinctive body markings.

It is one of the species for which Dorset heaths are designated as a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) under the European Habitats Directive.