Identification help please

Well, it's either a Triturus vulgaris or a Triturus helveticus...I'd guess a female helveticus but the photos are too grainy for me to distinguish for sure. Maybe someone else can tell definitively.
 
Triturus helveticus helveticus female. I hope you didn't pay for it - it's illegal to sell or trade native UK species. I'd be of a mind to report the shop to the authorities.
 
No, I didn't pay for it and the shop owner and I were well aware of the legal problems; he passed it to me as I am hopefully going to rehome it.The poor creature was brought in by someone who found it in their backgarden - unfortunately I do not know the address or I would take it back myself and put it back in its rightful habitat. I have a pond near to where I work which is suitable, but it is several miles from where the newt was found, and I am concerned that it might have too strong a homing instinct to stay where I put it. Any suggestions?
 
Palmate newts aren't very faithful to their breeding ponds - I'd just let it go at a nice pond.
 
I hate to be contradictory, but I'd guess at a smooth newt juvenile (hard to say without knowing the size). Usually adult female palmates have at least some black speckles on the belly.

The 'rule' about palmates having unspotted throats, but smooths being spotted does not hold for juveniles- juveniles of both species have unspotted throats and bellies. Juvenile palmates usually have pinkish or greyish colouring on the belly, but smooths are usually orange.

Hope that helps!
 
Well I didn't realise the throat rule didn't apply to juveniles, so nevermind my earlier post.
 
The newt in question is now released back into the wild - scuttled off into the undergrowth of a pond near where I work.
Thank you all for the help and advice
 
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