A mum has accused the Government of caring more about wildlife than children’s safety after being told she can’t fill in a garden pond - because it contains newts.
The parent, who does not want to be named, recently bought a new home where she lives with her husband and their four-year-old daughter.
They found a small murky pond just three metres from the back door - and with a second child due in October, she wants to fill it in.
The concerned mum, who does not want her young daughter playing near the water, planned to build a patio over it.
But after members of the protected amphibian species visited her house they discovered Great Crested Newts live there.
As a result, she may not be allowed to get rid of it - and, even if she is, she may have to create a new one elsewhere in her garden for the newts to use, at a cost of over £2,500.
The exasperated mum, from Gloucestershire, outlined her situation to her local MP in a letter in which she said:“Quite frankly, and selfishly, I don’t want to sacrifice any space to a new pond.
"I can’t believe that I can’t do what I want to my own private garden.
“Whilst I appreciate these amphibians are protected, I can’t believe that the Government value their lives over my children’s.”
Great Crested Newts are a European Protected Species. Under the Habitats Directive, it is an offence to capture, kill, injure or disturb them or their habitat without a licence from Natural England.
A Natural England spokeswoman said: “Although strictly protected by UK and EU law, great crested newt populations continue to decline.
“Over the last century there has been a dramatic decline in ponds within the UK. We have a continued commitment to maintain the health and resilience of this protected species.”
