A group set up to help toads cross roads safely during the mating season is holding its first meeting of the year.

Volunteers and would-be volunteers of Smallwood Toad patrols are being invited to a meeting on Thursday (January 5th) at the Horseshoe Inn in Sandbach Rd, Lawton Heath End.

The event takes place from 7 pm until 9 pm and is aimed at those wanting to find out more about volunteering for the Spring common toad migrations.

As well as information about the patrols, there will also be information sheets to take away about making bog gardens, hibernacula, ponds and toad abodes in gardens.

Every Spring, toads make perilous journeys of up to five miles to return to their ancestral spawning ponds for mating, facing challenges including predators, roads and grids on the way.

Toads follow ancient routes, regardless of whether humans have built roads or housing estates over them, so thousands are sadly run over each year trying to get to the ponds.

Patrollers work in Cherry Lane, Alsager and Lawton Heath and Brookhouse Lane, Moss End Lane, Pitcher Lane, Mill Lane and Back Lane, Smallwood and a new group has been set up in Middlewich. 

Jane Smith who set up the groups

The amphibian safety programme starts at dusk when a group of volunteers pull on their boots, gloves and Hi-Viz jackets, pick up their buckets and fishing nets and head for the country lanes

Figures for the 2022 season show a total of 805 common toads actively crossed by patrollers but this figure doesn't include the hundreds (probably thousands) of toads who crossed safely on their own without assistance.

Last year, it was the longest ever season due to the very dry weather, with nine weeks of patrolling in total.

Toad patrol co-ordinator Jane Smith, an Alsager town councillor, who set up the groups, said: "We're holding this information drop-in to spread the love about local toads!

"We know lots of people have them in their gardens and don't know how they can best help them; we'd also love to have more volunteers on our Cherry Lane patrols which can be very busy some nights.

"This is really rewarding work with beautiful native amphibians who need all the help they can get – common toads have declined by a staggering 68% over the past three decades alone, due to loss of habitat and road building across their ancient migratory routes."

Volunteers wear Hi-Viz vests with torches and buckets are on hand to help the amorous amphibians cross safely. Families can patrol together, and people not wanting to touch the toads can act as 'spotters' instead.

The 180-plus monitored toad crossings across the UK, including the Cherry Lane site which was the very first patrol in the area, are registered with the national charity Froglife and the Department of Transport.