One of the dead frogs discovered by wildlife enthusiast Matt Lacey at Singleton Lakes

by Tim Collins

A wildlife enthusiast was shocked to discover a pile of up to 50 dead frogs near an Ashford lake.

Matt Lacey is now calling for action, claiming waste dumped at Singleton Lakes might have poisoned the large number of animals.

The 30-year-old, from Singleton, said he has discovered the bodies of scores of the creatures when walking at the lakes.

Mr Lacey - who owns several reptiles, including snakes, lizards and geckos - attempted to isolate waste dumped in the area by damming off a smaller pool from the main lakes.

He said: "I took my son down to show him the wildlife, and I noticed piles of dead frogs.

"I started searching the bushes and the more I looked, the more I found. There must have been around 40 to 50 bodies in total.

"I made a dam to separate a stagnant pool, where I found drums of chip fat, brake fluid and other rubbish, from the main pond.

"My worry is, if the water level rises, the whole area could be affected. And if the substance is poisonous and a dog picks up a carcass, it could lead to some expensive vets bills for their owners.

"Perhaps we could organise a few volunteers to help the clear up the area and prevent this from happening again."

Mr Lacey also called the police and Environment Agency, who attended the scene after he made the discovery.

The dead frogs were discovered at Singleton Lakes, near Ashford

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "An officer went out to the site last Thursday and Friday and reported one dead frog.

"We went out to the site again on Tuesday and have seen five dead frogs. There are no dead fish or birds and the frogs were discovered in a ditch which currently has no water flowing through it.

"The officer tested for dissolved oxygen and ammonia and all results have come back clear and the oxygen levels are fine."