Five ducklings rescued after falling down drain in Fordingbridge

Terry Hill and Cathy Hogg, who run New Forest Home Care Companions in Vimoutiers Court, along with neighbours heard a commotion outside on Tuesday evening and discovered a number of duckling had fallen down the drains.

Swinging into action, they grabbed the nearest thing to hand to rescue the ducklings - a hanging basket - until a small net was found.

Terry said: "We pulled up the manhole covers and initially started to get the first few out with a hanging basket, which was the first thing that came to hand."

"The mother was alarmed and I can understand that. As we started to help she became increasingly frantic but she realised we were helping as the chicks each appeared," he added. "As soon as the last one came out it ran over and they went."

Terry says a duck nests in their neighbour's garden every year and they come down the road to visit the stream in his garden. Usually, pieces of cardboard are put over the drain covers to stop them falling down the drain but this year it was missed.

He said seeing the final chick freed and reunited with its mother was "amazing", adding: "The children came out of the houses and you could hear all the cheering."

Once released and the family reunited, Terry says they headed off down to the stream in their garden.

"They were all happy to get back off to the stream," he said.

Video courtesy of New Forest Home Care Companions, newforesthomecompanions.care