Stuck duck sparks six-hour rescue

Fire crews spent six hours rescuing a pet duck from a water pipe at its home in Chalford Hill, Gloucestershire.

Chris and Karen Hutchens rang for help when they found Brownie wedged in the overflow tube on Saturday.

The firefighters had to dig down four feet in order to reach the pipe and the stuck duck.

"It was careful and gentle work as the animal was distressed and you don't want to increase that," said Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chris Griffin.

Overflow pipe

"Within Gloucestershire we spend a lot of time rescuing animals from various predicaments from horses stuck in ditches to cows in the River Severn," he said.

"Any animal is worth something to somebody so we don't discriminate when we're called out."

The family became concerned on Friday when Brownie did not come up from the pond with the five other ducks.

They first thought she had been eaten by a fox, until a friend clearing the pond heard a quack from the bottom of the overflow pipe.

"Brownie is so much a part of our family and so it is amazing that she made it. I really didn't think we would get her out," said Mrs Hutchens.