I stumbled upon a heartwarming story –
Oxton’s ‘first’ toad road closure marks 20 years.

I’m no David Attenborough, but I guess that toads are worth saving and being given a safe passage to the other side of the road, so the story is indeed commendable.

But what I really loved about it was a comment about Margaret Cooper, the campaigner who has worked tirelessly since 1999 to make this worthy piece of conservation history:

“[Margaret’s] tenacity and powers of persuasion are legendary locally and the fact that she secured a world-first is proof of her powers” (Erin McDaid, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust).

Toads, village road-closures, business, leadership, world-firsts … tenacity and persuasion are great skills to have. And I sense that Mrs Cooper has these in abundance – something of a super-power perhaps. Very lucky toads.