Rare species is at threat

The Great Crested Newt is protected by international law but its livelihood is under threat because people are using the Lyppard Grange Nature Reserve as a dumping ground.

A burned-out moped has been recovered from the pond and people have caused damage by dumping garden waste in the woods.

Lyppard Grange ranger Heather Bainbridge said the area had been recognised as one of the most important places in the country where the newt thrives.

She said: "Warndon Villages has long been known as a hotspot for the Great Crested Newt.

"The West Midlands, in general, is quite a large area for them but Lyppard Grange Nature Reserve has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

"Because the reserve is close to a busy shopping and community centre, and is next to Tesco, it's used by a lot of people, so litter is going to be generated.

"But that's not so much the main problem as the amount of rubbish wantonly dumped in the wood, and it's posing a threat to plants and animals."

Decades of house building have meant the Great Crested Newt's natural habitats have gradually disappeared, at a rate of about two per cent every five years.

Miss Bainbridge is organising a team of volunteers for a four-hour clean-up in the woods on Saturday.

"It's a very popular place for people just to walk through," she said.

"Unfortunately, this means they tend to leave a lot of litter behind.

"We want to have a big clean-up operation round the nature reserve to get rid of the build-up of garden waste that has accumulated over the last couple of years."

Everyone is encouraged to help out, meeting at Lyppard Grange Community Centre, Ankerage Green, at 10am. The work will not be too demanding. Gloves and tools will be provided and people do not have to work the full four hours.

If you have a story about Warndon, please contact reporter Ian Wishart on 01905 742256 or e-mail him at iw@thisisworcester.co.uk