Steps to save newts from drains

The work has saved hundreds of newts from death

The lives of hundreds of rare newts have been saved, after they unwittingly fell into drains at a pond in the Vale of Glamorgan in search of food.

Moves were taken to give a little help to one of the biggest populations of Great Crested Newts in south Wales.

The drains were moved from the kerb and miniature ledges were installed to prevent the newts falling in.

Numbers found dead have dropped dramatically since the work, funded by the Countryside Council for Wales.

The newts travel away from the pond during cold or dry weather to hunt for food and shelter and many attempt to cross a nearby road.

But members of the Vale of Glamorgan council's ecology team kept discovering the creatures starved to death in the kerbside drains.

The drains were moved further from the kerb, leaving a little ledge for the newts.

The Vale's voluntary newt surveyor Stephen Lowe said a recent survey found a large decrease in the number of newts found in the drains.

In 2005, 318 were found but in 2006 just 65 were discovered.

Operational manager for highways Keith Jones said: "The drain modifications have proved to be a great leap forward in protecting this rare species in the Vale.

"Hopefully, this innovative solution can now be adopted at many more sites in Wales and across the rest of the UK."

The great crested newt is a protected by UK and European wildlife law.