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Huge rescue operation saves... duck

Villagers have criticised a major rescue operation to save a trapped duck, calling it “a waste of money”. It took 18 fire crew, three fire engines, a Land Rover and a rescue boat to free the bird from a drainage tunnel. Following a 999 call, the emergency services arrived at the scene near Earlswood, West Midlands with flashing blue lights and blaring sirens.

Residents thought a child had drowned, and they could not believe it when they found out the three-hour operation was to save the bird. The white Aylesbury, called Daffy, lives on a nearby lake and got stuck in the tunnel.

Retired fireman Neil Guesy, 54, told The Sun: “It was unbelievable. There were five men to each engine, an officer in charge and two with the dinghy.”

Emergency services had raced 35 miles to get to the duck. Warwickshire fire chiefs defended the operation, saying it was their “good deed for the day”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .