Natterjack Toads are spawning, please keep dogs out of pools and away from spawn

Please keep dogs out of pools and flooded areas along on coast because the Natterjack Toads are now spawning.

Right on time and helped no doubt by the glorious warm weather, the Sefton coast's Natterjack Toads have started to spawn again. These marvellous - and extremely rare - amphibians can be heard singing on warm, spring evenings at a number of sites from Hightown and Formby to Birkdale.

Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership said: "Please can we remind all dogwalkers to keep their pets out of pools and flooded areas at this crucial time for our special toad. The Sefton coast holds approximately 40 per cent of the British population of the Natterjack Toad, and they need all the help they can get!"

The egg strings are very distinctive and vulnerable to trampling by dogs etc in the shallow pools.

Thanks to Phil Smith for the photos which he shared with Sefton Coast Landscape Partnership