Volunteers in the South Hams are helping hundreds of common toads safely cross a narrow country lane as they make their annual migration to breeding ponds.

Each year, as winter gives way to spring, the amphibians emerge from gardens, hedgerows and fields and begin their journey back to the ponds where they were born. The instinctive migration can span miles and has taken place for generations.

Conservationists say the journey has become increasingly hazardous. Common toads are in decline across the UK, with habitat loss, climate change and road traffic all contributing to falling numbers.

The breeding season is considered one of the most dangerous times, as thousands attempt to cross roads at night and are killed by passing vehicles before reaching water.

At the Millpond Cross migration site, near Asprington, residents from surrounding villages, including Tuckenhay and Cornworthy, take part in a nightly “Toad Patrol” to reduce those risks.

Throughout the migration season, volunteers head out after dark equipped with torches, high-visibility jackets and buckets. Working in cold and often wet conditions, they patrol the roadside and carefully carry toads across the lane, placing them safely on the verge so they can continue towards the ponds.

Last year, volunteers helped almost 900 toads and 160 newts cross the road at the site.

Local farmer and committed environmentalist Mike Pearey, who has worked to improve wildlife habitats on his land, said the patrol was about more than saving individual animals.

“It’s about preserving a fragile species and protecting a natural cycle that has existed for centuries,” he said.

Organic farmer Sam Skevington, who has created a network of wildlife ponds on his farm, said conservation work and patrols were closely linked.

“Conserving and creating breeding grounds, coupled with toad patrols, helps support the whole ecological system,” he said.

Volunteer organiser Lynne Paterson said: “Without our volunteers, many of these toads simply wouldn’t make it. Every night they give up their time to stand between wildlife and traffic, and because of them, hundreds of toads reach the ponds safely. It’s incredibly moving to see people come together like this for such a simple but important cause.”

Drivers are being urged to slow down and take extra care when travelling through the area during the migration period, particularly after dark when amphibians are most active.

Organisers say even small changes in driving behaviour can make a significant difference to the survival of local wildlife.

The common Toad became protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. They were listed as a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.

Common toads tend to breed in larger, deeper ponds than common frogs. Toad tadpoles contain toxins that make them unpleasant for predators to eat, allowing them to survive in deep ponds containing fish, which would eat the tadpoles of frogs. Adult toads also contain these toxins, stored in their skin glands.

The Wildlife Trust says It is estimated that 20 tonnes of unlucky toads are killed on the UK’s roads every year.