A family of animal lovers is on a mission to stop thousands of lovesick toads from being squashed on a country road.

During the last month, the amphibians have been making a nightly trek from their forest home across the road to a riverbank to mate.

But drivers on the road between the Seven Sisters Country Park and the village of Litlington, near Polegate, are killing hundreds of them.

Ewart Shindler, 15, sister Charlotte, 13, mother Emma, 37, and grandfather Roy, 65, who live in nearby Eastbourne, are making nightly patrols along a two-mile stretch of the road which runs next to the Cuckmere River.

They put the toads found on the road into buckets and carry them to safety.

Roy said: "The toads are very randy at the moment. The males even attach themselves to your green wellies and you can't shake them off. They think the wellies are females.

"They've also been known to pounce on goldfish, snakes and garden gnomes as they try to mate.

"The trouble is, cars go really fast along the lane and there's no way they can see the toads and hundreds have been squashed.

"It's worse on Fridays when everyone is rushing home to get to the pubs."

So far they estimate they have saved about 1,500 toads since beginning their 15-minute nightly crusade.

The females lay around 2,000 eggs, but only three or five might survive into adults.

Ewart, who is educated at home with his sister, said: "Toads are lovely animals, really friendly.

"They can't hurt people, so it's so unfair what happens to them. They can't hop, they have to crawl and they're really quite slow.

"Toad numbers are also going down nationally, so it's important to save them."

The family is carrying out the patrols as volunteers for the Sussex Amphibian and Reptile Group.

Dennis Dey, recording officer for the group, said: "I think what they are doing is excellent. Let's face it, amphibians are considered to be a low priority. Everyone likes birds and mammals but many think amphibians are slimy and horrible, but they're lovely things."

The Shindler's have now put signs along the road warning drivers to slow down.