Beer for toad deal

Australia - The country's biggest hotel owner says he would be willing to shout patrons two beers, in exchange for a bag of cane toads, to help rid the country of the pests.

Cairns-based millionaire Tom Hedley says anyone willing to front up to the RSPCA with a bag of toads will receive the free beer at his pub at Redlynch in Cairns.

A similar scheme exists in Darwin, where drinkers are issued with beer vouchers in exchange for toads.

Mr Hedley says a mate suggested the idea.

"A gentleman called me and said would I be prepared to sort of shout a beer," he said.

"I said I'd shout two if it meant we had a bag of toads handed over to the RSPCA because they're sort of everywhere and they're not much good for the environment."

The RSPCA's spokesman Michael Beatty says while he supports the move, the hotel would probably need more funding and a bigger freezer to cope with the extra demand.