Wildlife carers from Burnham-On-Sea, helped by a fire crew, have rescued ten stranded ducklings.
The baby birds were trapped in a disused railway water tower reservoir at Firepool in Taunton where they had hatched a couple of days earlier.
A distressed member of the public called Secret World Wildlife Rescue, who sent a response diver when it became apparent the ducklings would not have been able to survive much longer.
When he was unable to scoop the animals out of the water, Devon and Somerset Fire Service was called into action on Monday.
Disturbed by seeing so many people, the mother duck flew off and abandoned her chicks.
Perched above the water, a firefighter, assisted by a colleague, lowered a net on the end of a long pole and ushered the ducklings into a corner before guiding them to safety.
Spokeswoman Charlotte Wroe told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Secret World Wildlife Rescue are hugely grateful to Devon and Somerset Fire Service for the assistance given on Monday in this operation at the disused railway water tower reservoir at Firepool.”
“The crew that attended expertly achieved what at first sight appeared to be an impossible task – certainly one that would have been an absolute non-starter for Secret World alone, being in such an inaccessible and treacherous location.”
“The four officers involved applied inventive problem-solving and great patience, finally saving all ten ducklings whose mother had got them into an unhealthy trap that would, without intervention, ultimately have been fatal.”
“The birds will now be cared for over several weeks until they are mature enough to be released.”
