A rescue operation was undertake in Uckfield on Sunday evening after some children noticed a lone duckling behind a drainage grate.

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) were called to the scene in Old Common Way, but the duckling was nowhere to be seen.

“We decided to investigate further as it was obvious that the duckling could not have got out” explained Trevor Weeks Duty Rescue Co-ordinator for WRAS.

WRAS rescuer Kathy Martyn from Uckfield, tried to undo the metal grill but this proved impossible, so rescuers only access was via drain covers which were in the road.

WRAS volunteer Christine Skinner from Uckfield came out with a set of ladders from home to help with the rescue. At first rescuers could not hear the duckling. “Ladders were used to climb down into the drain and nothing could be seen by torch light but that suddenly I heard the duckling cheeping. I was not sure where it was at first so it took us a while to establish that it was further along under the road” said Trevor.

A second man-hole cover had to be lifted and Trevor climbed down to find the duckling close to the chamber.  “The poor little thing just sat there and let me pick him up. He was clearly very frightened, cold and alone” said Trevor.

Trevor passed the duckling up to his partner Kathy Martyn who cupped the duckling in her hands to keep warm.

The duckling was taken back to WRAS’s Casualty Centre where is has now been bedded down with two other little ducklings.

“This poor duckling would not have survived the night if it had been left down the sewer” said Trevor.

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