THIS cheeky chappie has been causing a storm online after being snapped nosing around offices on Brownsea Island.

Island staff posted the pictures on Facebook after capturing the red squirrel's antics on camera, as it came in from the woods to have a look around inside.

The images have since been shared thousands of times.

Appearing alongside the pictures was a tongue-in-cheek message posted by Brownsea staff, stating: "There’s been a break in on Brownsea Island. An intruder was found casing the joint, before climbing through an unlocked window and tip-toeing into the office.

Motives for the crime are currently under investigation."

Red squirrels, unlike their grey cousins, are normally quite shy and difficult to spot.

A National Trust spokesman said: "Almost extinct in southern England, the red squirrel is the most important pine feeding creature on Brownsea Island, where there are no competing grey squirrels.

"The squirrels are most active in spring and autumn around sunrise and sunset. They can be found in all the wooded areas of the island."

Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) is running an adopt a red squirrel initiative to help fund essential maintenance work and protect their habitat on the island.

Brownsea Island provides one of only two homes to the native red squirrel in southern England.

On this initiative DWT Brownsea Island manager Chris Thain said: "There are around 200 red squirrels on the island, and our work in partnership with the National Trust has enable the population to thrive.

"But we need help from the public so we can continue to provide ideal conditions for the reds to live in."

Visit the Dorset Wildlife Trust website for more details.