AN INDEPENDENT poll of some genuine floating voters is the latest – and perhaps the wackiest – yardstick for election success.

Oxford-based charity Pond Conservation is taking a daily amphibian survey at a secret location near the city – and measuring the changing political mood of the tadpole population.

Its innovative ‘Tad Poll’ is mirroring the human equivalents and showing the Conservatives marginally ahead in a very tight race.

The survey was the brainchild of Jeremy Biggs, the charity’s director.

He said: “The logos of each political party were put in the pond. We take a photograph and then count the number of tadpoles above each logo.

“The poll has the Conservatives in the lead followed by Labour and the Lib Dems.”

Dr Biggs said the poll would be conducted on a daily basis from now until the day before the election.

He said there was a serious side to the amphibious opinion poll.

The charity promotes the protection of wildlife in Britain’s ponds, lakes and rivers.

But it said 80 per cent of ponds are in a poor biological state and have deteriorated over the last 10 years.

Dr Biggs said: “We are calling on whoever forms the new Government to prepare a new national plan to protect the biodiversity of freshwater habitats.”

And he offered advice to readers with garden ponds and those thinking of creating one. The thing people should be doing is trying to keep the water as clear of pollutants as possible,” he said.

He said topping up pond levels with rain water rather than tap water was better for wildlife.

“If you’re making a new pond it doesn’t need to be more than 1ft deep, needs nice grassy edges and plenty of shallow water.”

For more advice log on to pondconservation.org.uk l An animal related election in Burford is seeking to answer the question: which pet rules the roost?

The cat, dog and small animal parties have all fielded candidates in the election at the Blue Cross animal adoption centre in Burford.

For more information visit bluecross.org.uk cburatta@oxfordmail.co.uk