VILLAGERS who brave traffic to help hundreds of toads hop to safety are set to trial an improved scheme.

Residents in Kennington patrol Oxford Road every mating season to protect a throng of frisky toads from being flattened as they embark on a 'dance of love'.

The amphibians bounce out of Bagley Wood between March and April to their preferred pond near Chandlings School - but must first dodge a dangerous stream of traffic.

This year Angela Julian, coordinator of Amphibian and Reptile Groups UK, wants to put up a roadside barrier to trap toads so volunteers can collect them safely.

The Horspath resident said: "Toads favour rainy weather at dusk, at rush hour, which is just about the least safe time. Volunteers are quite brave but we tell them to prioritise their welfare above the toads'.

"We wear high-visibility clothing and work in pairs, but there is always a worry."

She has trialled a makeshift net barrier in Henley and is due to put up a similar structure in Kennington in the coming weeks.

Supervised toad crossings run across the county including in Lake Street in Oxford and in North Hinksey Lane near Botley.

Patrols involve plucking toads from the road and placing them into buckets to carry across, as well as recording data.

Dr Julian said: "Toads are dear little souls, they are very sweet. They go back to their ancestral pond and spawn.

"The males rush to get there early to try and get a match. They stand in the middle of the road because it's higher [than grass] and perch on their tiptoes to see if females are coming. It's a dance of love.

"Patrols are important because toads nationally are quite threatened. Toads only breed in specific ponds, that's the reason they're in so much trouble. If you build a big road there you could literally wipe them out."

About 200 toads crossed Oxford Road last week and more will follow throughout the month.

Volunteers rally when weather forecasts predict prime conditions of mild temperatures and damp air.

Kennington toad crossing coordinator Lisa Temple backed the barrier idea.

The Cumnor resident said: "It traps the toads before they reach the road and slows them down. When conditions are ideal they all go for it at once; they are quite speedy."

Statistics suggest national toad population has plummeted by 70 per cent in the past 30 years, which Ms Temple said was 'very worrying'.

She said: "Lots of people worry about the survival of tigers and pandas and we are in danger of overlooking our everyday ordinary native species, which are not quite so glamorous."

To find your nearest toad crossing or volunteer visit froglife.org.