Reproduced from the Dorset Echo First published Saturday 30 May 2015 updated 31 May 2015
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Quacking effort as ducklings rescued from drain by using a recording of their mum.
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TWO ducklings had a daring adventure in Burton Bradstock after they lost their mother and fell down a manhole.
Thanks to helpful members of the community, however, the story had a happy ending as they were eventually rescued.
Mark Hyde, from Lancashire, said they raised the alarm after a duck came to the door of their holiday home last week on May 18 quacking for help.
He said: “My wife and I were staying in Burton Bradstock for a week’s holiday and we were made aware of the impending tragedy by the mother duck quacking loudly at our cottage door.
“We went out to investigate and saw the mother with eight ducklings which were only a few days old.
“The mother wouldn’t leave the area. We heard a squeaking noise coming from a nearby drain cover and it became apparent a duckling was trapped in the storm drain.”
Mr Hyde said they couldn’t move the drain cover so they contacted Wessex Water, hoping someone could use a key to remove it.
Within an hour Wessex Water staff members from Dorchester, Keith and Brendan, came to the rescue.
When they looked inside the manhole, they found the two ducklings had already crept away from the manhole and down the drain.
But they cleverly lured the pair back towards the exit using a
recording of their mother calling for them, and captured them in a
plastic colander.
Mr Hyde said: “The mother duck and the other ducklings were relaxing in the rear garden when this was happening, but when the two siblings were reunited with them the excitement was incredible and was actually very touching.”
“The ducklings were scooped into a cardboard box and taken down to the nearby stream with the mother in tow, before they all swam away,” he said.
“It was a very happy ending and a great story of a community coming together to reunite a lovely little family.”
Thanks to helpful members of the community, however, the story had a happy ending as they were eventually rescued.
Mark Hyde, from Lancashire, said they raised the alarm after a duck came to the door of their holiday home last week on May 18 quacking for help.
He said: “My wife and I were staying in Burton Bradstock for a week’s holiday and we were made aware of the impending tragedy by the mother duck quacking loudly at our cottage door.
“We went out to investigate and saw the mother with eight ducklings which were only a few days old.
“The mother wouldn’t leave the area. We heard a squeaking noise coming from a nearby drain cover and it became apparent a duckling was trapped in the storm drain.”
Mr Hyde said they couldn’t move the drain cover so they contacted Wessex Water, hoping someone could use a key to remove it.
Within an hour Wessex Water staff members from Dorchester, Keith and Brendan, came to the rescue.
When they looked inside the manhole, they found the two ducklings had already crept away from the manhole and down the drain.
Mr Hyde said: “The mother duck and the other ducklings were relaxing in the rear garden when this was happening, but when the two siblings were reunited with them the excitement was incredible and was actually very touching.”
“The ducklings were scooped into a cardboard box and taken down to the nearby stream with the mother in tow, before they all swam away,” he said.
“It was a very happy ending and a great story of a community coming together to reunite a lovely little family.”
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