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Helpston's wildlife

Great crested newt

Living near Peterborough, it is sometimes hard to understand what the fuss is about great crested newts. They seem to turn up almost everywhere - and in good numbers, the brick pits at Orton have a population of some 30,000!

But this is their European stronghold - as a result they are a highly protected species. Locally they can certainly be found at Swaddywell and Ben Jonson pits, but there are probably smaller populations in other areas around the village and there are reports of them turning up in garden ponds too!