Yellow spotted Salamander

It looks like a fire salamander which are native to Europe. But there are some in the UK escaped medical research victims. Like very few known breeding pairs.

https://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/yellow-spotted-newt.html

Could be one of these that the owner doesn't want any more.

Fire Salamander?

Early descriptions of salamander poisonings were found in the writings of many physicians and philosophers in the Middle Ages. Little was known about the toxic compounds, but the recorded symptoms from poisonings were consistent with what is known today. The ancient healers also had some interesting theories about how one contracted poison from the salamander. They believed that the mere sighting of the black and yellow spotted animal or ingestion of salamander ashes would lead to sickness and death.
Don't lick it.

It's not a Newt - Newt have rounder, stubbier tails. It looks like a Hybrid, possibly of a California Tiger and Barred Salamander. It's not spotty enough to be Spotted and not lozenge enough to be Fire or Tiger.

British newts have fairly long, tapered tails, but none are coloured anything like as brightly as that, apart from the Great Crested males in breeding season.

Fire salamander.. there are a few in the UK. I was surprised the first time I saw one in the Pyrenees, so the UK weather no problem

Cheers for the replies

The wife said she has seen one before at our local pond just down the road

Will speak to a neighbour next time i bump into him as he is into reptiles etc.. and i think he's a breeder/seller part time

Will speak to a neighbour next time i bump into him as he is into reptiles etc.. and i think he’s a breeder/seller part time

Do you not feel this might explain why you spotted a non-native species near you?