Hook a duck - seven orphans saved from sewage site

The ducklings are recovering at a rehabilitation facility

Seven lucky ducklings have been rescued after they were found trapped in a water treatment site.

The youngsters were discovered swimming in the tanks at Yorkshire Water's treatment works at Thornton-le-Dale near Pickering.

They were spotted by environmental sampling officer Georgina Atkinson, who noticed the mother duck was absent and said: "I'm not sure how they got in there in the first place."

The RSPCA was called out to rescue the ducklings, which are now recovering at a rehabilitation facility.

Ms Atkinson said: "When I arrived at Thornton-le-Dale treatment works, I noticed there were seven ducklings swimming in the tanks near the final effluent sample point.

"There was no mother duck to be seen and there was no exit point for the ducklings.

"I called the RSPCA for advice and they decided they were going to send someone out to help rescue the ducklings."

Yorkshire Water did not know how the ducklings ended up in the tank

RSPCA animal rescue officer Caitlin Houston attended the call.

She said: "I got all my PPE on, got a net - luckily there was a platform that stuck out into the middle of the tank, so I was able to lean down.

"They were very good at diving, so it did take about five or 10 minutes to catch them."

The ducklings were too young to be released, so they were handed over to a rehabilitation centre.

"'They'll rear them until they're old enough, they'll put them in a lovely enclosure with a heat lamp, a straw bed and a little paddling pool for them," Ms Houston said.

"They'll have everything they need, the centre really knows their stuff."

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