Trapped ducklings rescued from water works

The stricken ducklings were found in the sheer-sided tank at Southern Water's Brockenhurst Works

A family of ducklings has been rescued from a large tank at a water treatment plant in the New Forest.

The five birds were found to have dropped into the deep, sheer-sided tank at Southern Water's Brockenhurst Works.

Staff called Ringwood-based charity Wildlife Rescue for help to recover the trapped waterfowl from the circular treatment tank.

The charity said the rescue was "not an easy task as they did not want to be caught and kept diving to avoid capture". It said the family of five were now safely on a pond at its wildlife hospital.

The charity said the five ducklings would stay at the wildlife hospital "until they have grown their feathers and are waterproofed"

The ducklings are expected to be released from the wildlife hospital once they have developed the feathers and strength to fly.

In November, the charity helped save a swan after it crashed through a glass skylight at the Lush cosmetics warehouse in Poole, Dorset.

The five ducklings dived under the water to avoid getting rescued from the tank