Early birds on parade (From Western Telegraph)

Early birds on parade

Easter came early at County Hall last week with the surprise appearance of three little ducklings.

The baby mallards were heard on Thursday, making a 'tremendous' noise in the visitors' car park, by administration assistant Audrey Spriggs and print assistant Mike Prior.

"There were three ducklings chirping and flapping away," said Audrey. "We caught them and put them in a box."

Audrey and Mike looked for the ducklings' mum and dad without success - not knowing that a dead female duck had been reported to Animal Welfare earlier that morning.

The trio sat in their box on Audrey's desk while a colleague contacted Animal Welfare, which arranged for the birds to be taken to Tinker's Hill Birds of Prey and Swan Rescue Centre.

Shortly afterwards, Audrey came across a fourth member of the family. "I was walking out quite by chance, when I saw another member of staff with a box carrying another duckling!" she said.