A TOAD has undergone extraordinary life-saving surgery after it was accidentally stabbed with a garden fork, RSPCA officials said today.

The astonishing operation was carried out when the adult common toad was taken to the RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre. It had been accidentally injured by a gardener.

Despite its size, vets at the centre managed to operate on the toad, which had a prolapsed lung, after it was given a local anaesthetic.

Amazingly, they were able to push the lung back in and repair the damage before giving it a course of antibiotics.

After it was treated, staff at the centre monitored it, to ensure it was putting on weight on, before its release.

And now following its successful recuperation it was released back in to the wild at the end of last month.

Alison Charles, wildlife centre manager, said: “At the time it was a real emergency and we rushed the toad in to surgery.

“We are delighted that it has made a full recovery, no matter what size the animal we always do our best to try and help them recover and release them back in to the wild where they belong.

“We are all delighted that this has had a happy ending.”