Mystery surrounds toad found in supermarket salad

Berkshire Reptile Rescue is caring for the toad

Experts are trying to establish the origin of a toad found in a supermarket bag of salad.

Graham Martin of Berkshire Reptile Rescue said he had been asked to collect the creature by staff at Waitrose distribution centre in Bracknell.

He said since collecting it on Monday, he had been keeping the toad in isolation because it was not clear whether it had come from overseas.

A spokesperson for John Lewis Partnership said: “There is a stringent sorting and washing process which should have removed this toad."

Mr Martin said the unnamed toad was "loving life"

Mr Martin said he had been asked to collect the toad on Monday after it was returned to the retailer by a customer.

He said: "He is in a nice little box, he's got some soil and some leaves to hide in, he's got a little water bowl. I've chucked in some beetles for his dinner and he's loving life.

"I have no idea where he came from but he's happy where he is.

"Interaction with foreign animals is never a good idea so we can't be mixing him with anything else or letting him loose to interact with any animals in the countryside.

"We can't really risk it so we are just going to keep him."

Mr Martin said such incidents were surprisingly common, with people seeking his help for stowaway reptiles in their holiday luggage or in imported fruit and vegetables.

"Last year, I had half a dozen. This year, I've had three or four," he said.

It is not known who discovered the toad but Mr Martin urged them to get in touch to help him solve the mystery of where it originated.

A spokesperson for John Lewis Partnership said: “While our growers minimise pesticide use to promote sustainable farming and reduce harm to wildlife, there is a stringent sorting and washing process which should have removed this toad.

"Although this is a very rare occurrence, we are really sorry to the customer who found it.”