A FUNGUS that is threatening to wipe out Britain's ash trees has been discovered in mature woodland in Scotland for the first time, raising fears it has escaped into the wild.

Officials conducting a survey for Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) say they have un-covered signs of the Chalara ash dieback infection among trees at Eyemouth in the Borders.

The disease has also been discovered at six other sites north of the Border, although these are thought to be among saplings grown in nurseries.

Experts are hoping to stop the spread of the disease, which is thought to have been brought into the UK through imported wood in March, by uprooting and burning any trees which show signs of infection.

However, the presence of dieback among full-grown trees means spores, which are carried on the wind, may have already spread into the environment.

A spokesman for FCS said its experts were currently monitoring the situation and were working to determine where the infection had come from.

A spokesman for Scottish Borders Council said they were aware dieback had been found in their woods, and they were in contact with FCS.

The presence of the disease was found after FCS carried out a "rapid response" survey last weekend to measure the spread of chalara dieback in Scotland.

As well as the trees in Eyemouth, four other infected sites at Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway, Carrbridge in the Highlands, Blairgowrie in Perthshire, Montrose in Angus were found.

Evidence of the disease had been previously identified at sites near Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire and at a private nursery in Moray. A further 136 of the 2730 sites surveyed over 49,709 miles showed "potential symptoms" of the fungal disease.

Chalara dieback has already killed up to 90% of ash trees in some areas of Denmark.

Scottish Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse is due to host a meeting next week on what steps can be taken to combat its spread in Scotland.

However, Chalara ash dieback only spreads in summer, so there is now an opportunity to take appropriate action.

There is no risk to human or animal health and there is no need to restrict public access to woodlands either, the FCS has said.

Dr Steve Woodward, a researcher at the University of Aberdeen who specialises in plant diseases, said: "Around 30% of our woodland trees are ash and they hosts lots of insects and non-damaging fungus; and of course birds and bats nest in them so it is very, very important ecologically and environmentally.

"The disease spreads through spores that appear on leaves or young twigs that have died. The fungus is in the leaf stock over winter and when it warms up in spring it produces these little spores that are blown around and if they land on suitable tissue they will infect the tree."