Rare newt delays repairs to flooded house
Published: March 27, 2008 at 3:58 PM
DAUNTSEY, England, March 27 (UPI) -- A retired couple has been barred from repairing their flood-damaged house in the English countryside because a rare newt may have set up housekeeping.
That means Margie and John Histed may have to stay in a trailer on their property in Wiltshire for months, The Daily Mail reported.
The great crested newt may be living in a blocked drainage ditch that flooded the house last year and overflowed again last week. The Histeds were told that they cannot unblock the ditch until it is searched for newts -- even though a healthy newt population is living in a nearby pond, the newspaper said.
"It's not that we're not sympathetic towards wildlife -- in fact, we're very keen on it and understand the need to protect certain species," John Histed said. "But it seems ridiculous that we can't protect our property from more flood damage for many months because newts may be there."
The newt search cannot start until the breeding season ends in June.
That means Margie and John Histed may have to stay in a trailer on their property in Wiltshire for months, The Daily Mail reported.
The great crested newt may be living in a blocked drainage ditch that flooded the house last year and overflowed again last week. The Histeds were told that they cannot unblock the ditch until it is searched for newts -- even though a healthy newt population is living in a nearby pond, the newspaper said.
"It's not that we're not sympathetic towards wildlife -- in fact, we're very keen on it and understand the need to protect certain species," John Histed said. "But it seems ridiculous that we can't protect our property from more flood damage for many months because newts may be there."
The newt search cannot start until the breeding season ends in June.
© 2008 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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