Rangers have warned visitors to tread carefully around a country park as it sees the highest number of toadlets in years.

Thousands of the tiny amphibians have been leaving the lake at Capstone Farm Country Park as they make their way into the woodlands and meadows.

In spring, toads migrate back to the ponds where they were born to mate and reproduce, and once the spawn is laid, they leave the water and their offspring to fend for themselves.

The tadpoles then turn into toadlets and by the summer are ready to leave the water and make their way onto dry land.

The park in Capstone Road, Chatham, is now seeing thousands of young toads, which are around 5mm in length, emerging from the water as they venture further into the site.

Ranger Bill said: “Capstone Farm Country Park has a very good population of common toads, which thrive in and around Capstone Lake.

“The lake was created in the 80s, and its reedy edges are ideal for breeding and spawning toads, however, toads are terrestrial most of the year, and after spawning, move away from the lake to surrounding woodlands and meadows.

“This is the highest number of toadlets I have seen leaving the lake in the five years I have been a ranger at Capstone, which is great to see, and the high number is due to the consistently warm spring when the toads were breeding and spawning back in April.

“The mass emergence of so many toadlets around the lake coincides also with wet weather, which makes it easier for them to move and leads to less pressure from predators.”

Toads can travel up to 5km away from the pond, but the period of migration leaves them vulnerable, crossing roads and paths.

The Kent Toads on Roads (KRAG) project aims to raise awareness and conserve toads, and has a network of volunteers who patrol and help the amphibians make their journeys.

Capstone Farm County Park also saw many toads falling into the drains around the site during March and April.

To help, the Green Flag awarded park placed a small piece of mesh inside the drains to stop them from falling in during the busy migration period.