Pond-dippers make surprise garden discovery

Friends Cameron Taylor and Jasper Struthers found more than 100 newts in Cameron’s pond, in Battenhall Place, Worcester, while enjoying the long-awaited sunny weather.

Cameron’s father Graham said that last year he had only found 14 newts and was surprised the numbers had increased so dramatically.

Red Hill Primary School pupils Cameron, aged eight, and his friend Jasper, nine, made the most of Monday’s warmer weather while their school was closed for a teacher training day.

Cameron said: “We scooped them out of the pond. We found four first of all but then we found lots and lots.

“When we were absolutely sure we couldn’t find anymore we began counting them and putting them back carefully.”

His father, whose footage of the pair counting the newts can be seen at worcesternews.co.uk, said: “Monday felt like spring had finally come and the boys were able to enjoy the day together in the garden collecting newts.”

This month’s weather has been having an effect on the amphibian which has come out of hibernation later than usual this year.

Alan Shepherd, principal ecologist with Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy, said it was a good number of newts for a small garden pond.

“If Cameron and his father like newts they should encourage them by making sure there are overgrown pieces of grass and piles of rubble or logs in their garden,” he said.

Unfortunately, Monday’s peak of around 16C/17C will not be repeated during the rest of the week, according to Netweather.tv’s Paul Michaelwaite, who said temperatures from today will be back down to around 12C/ 13C at best with some rain about.

“It’s not looking fantastically warm for the whole of the month.

There might be some warm days but the overriding theme is very cool,” he said.

Mr Michaelwaite said April had been 2C below average so far this year but there was better news ahead.

“At the moment May is looking average so we should be seeing some warmer days,” he added.