Burnley family go 'quackers' over their unusual new runner duck pet called Captain Quack Sparrow

A Burnley family have gone ‘quackers’ over their new pet.

And it doesn’t ruffle the feathers of Stephen and Bridgit Almond when they are spotted out walking their pet runner duck, Captain Quack Sparrow,around their home in Rosegrove.

“He is absolutely adorable and such a wonderful pet, “ said Bridgit. “We take him for walks and even to the shops and he comes to school with me to collect the children.

“When people see us they tend to do a double take when they realise we are walking a duck but it makes them smile.”

The couple bought Captain Quack at Clitheroe Auction Mart after he stole their hearts when he had been put up for sale as he was the only one to hatch from a brood of six eggs.

Stephen said: “We kept bidding for him and paid way over the odds, but Bridgit fell in love with him from the moment she saw him and we felt sorry for him as he was on his own.”

The couple planned to house their nine week old pet on their allotment with the other runner ducks but Captain Quack Sparrow was having none of it.

Bus driver Stephen said: “He just didn’t mix with them and he came up to the fence looking up at us so we brought him home.

“He follows Bridgit everywhere, he thinks she is his mummy.”

As runner ducks are flightless the couple are not worried he will fly away.

The new addition gets on famously with the family cats, Luna and NuNu, and pooch Brownie and he even sleeps on the bed with Stephen and Bridgit. And the couple’s children Ocean (three) and four-year-old Atlanta, along with Stephen’s daughter Kara (20) adore their unusual pet.

Living on a diet of peas and sweetcorn, Captain Quack Sparrow is also partial to cheese.

At the moment the couple are unsure if he is actually a he as the sex is usually determined as the animal reaches the age of three or four months.

Stephen said: “Once they start to quack that’s when you know the sex. A loud quack means a girl and a low one a boy.”