A woman who fought for the annual closure of a Nottinghamshire road to allow for the safe crossing of toads said the situation has become "desperate" as none have been seen this year. Beanford Lane in Oxton is shut for the entirety of March every year in order to help with the safe passage of toads during breeding season.
However, Margaret Cooper, who campaigned for its first closure in 1999, said not a single toad had been seen crossing the road so far this year. Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live on Friday, March 25, she said the month has been "disastrous".
"There's been a real absence of toads, we haven't seen any so far," said Margaret, who joins other volunteers at the crossings every evening. "At night the temperature drops dramatically and it's too low for them. It's very specific conditions which they need. It's very worrying, the plight of toads, it's not just Oxton but nationwide."
