Ref. 26216-12THREE ducks rescued from a rampaging pack of wild mallards are back in the wild after being released by the Swindon and District Animal Haven.

The Wootton Bassett-based charity, which is staffed by volunteers, had cared for the ducks since they were a day old when they were rescued from Shaftesbury Lake on the border of Eldene and Park South back in June.

Dog walkers spotted four male mallards attacking the ducks and waded into the water to rescue them. And on Saturday the ducks took their first tentative steps back into the wild and took to it literally like a duck to water.

Animal protection officer, John Warrick, who runs the charity with his wife Deana, said: "One of the ducklings was killed in the attack, but members of the public waded in and rescued three others.

"They were brought to us and we had to feed them by syringe for ten days and keep them in an incubator they were so weak. The smaller one gave us lots of cause for concern, but kept up with her brothers at food time and could sometimes be very verbal to them just like all siblings.

"But they all looked really pleased to be back in the water and the wild."