Ducklings rescued from bottom of Black Country drain
It is an old cliché that firefighters climb trees to rescue cats – but one crew was forced to delve beneath ground to save a family of ducklings.
Firefighters were called in to help the baby ducks which had fallen into a drain in Coseley.
A concerned resident called for help after being alerted to the mother duck in distress near the drain. She then peered into the drain to see the ducklings chirping beneath the road.
The metal drain, in Weddell Wynd, was pulled up so crews could reach the seven ducklings that were trapped.
Thankfully, the stranded birds were pulled to safety and appeared unruffled by their fall. They were found in a puddle of water at the bottom of the drain.
The ducks are thought to have come from the nearby Weddell Wynd woodland but found their travels brought to an abrupt halt when they tumbled down the drain.
Unfortunately, by the time crews arrived the ducklings’ mother had left the area and, despite a search of the area, could not be found.
Firefighters from West Bromwich Fire Station attended and were able to remove the drain cover to get to the birds. They were carefully pulled out of the drain.
Crew commander Andrew Papworth, from West Bromwich Fire Station, said: “We were called by a local resident from the nearby area. The caller was alerted to a distressed mother.
"Seven ducklings found their way into the drain. They had fallen through the grating in the drain cover and unfortunately ended up stranded in the water in the drain.
“They were about a foot and a half below the drain. We managed to lift the drain and rescue the seven ducklings. They were put in one of our buckets to keep them safe.”
Crews were called around 8.20am yesterday. As the ducklings’ mother could not be found, they were left in the care of the RSPCA.
Crew commander Papworth added: “We tried to locate the mother but unfortunately we couldn’t find her.
“The ducklings were left with the caller and I made arrangements with the RSPCA to collect them.”
