Supermarket worker was unflappable in dramatic duckling rescue drama in Padiham

Carol Lynch waded into the River Calder in Padiham yesterday afternoon to rescue the duckling after it kept getting attacked by other ducks.

Carol, who works at the town's Tesco store, has been praised across social media for her part in the rescue drama that also involved several members of the public and Padiham firefighters.

The drama happened after the duckling became separated from its mum and 10 brothers and sisters as they toddled across the Tesco car park to the river.

The duckling fell down the manhole and after hearing its pitiful chirping several members of the public made a failed bid to rescue it before they rang 999.

Padiham crew manager Laura Herdman said: "We arrived on the scene but our attempts to rescue the duckling made it go further into the manhole as it was so scared.

"We located the other end of the drain and used a hosereel to flush the duckling out before returning it to the river."

The duckling was returned to the water by firefighters Andrew Rushton, Stephen Yeoman and Rick Courtney, but could not find its mother and began to get attacked by other adult ducks trying to protect their own offspring.

As firefighters are restricted from entering water without specialist teams or equipment, Carol then dashed to the rescue.

Laura took the duckling home and kept it overnight where it settled down quite happily in a makeshift bed made from a thermal imaging camera box.

But after taking advice from a vet the duckling has now found a new home at the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre.

Laura said: "It was settled and eating well so staff have said it will be able to live out its days there quite happily.

"We don't often get called out to rescues like this, it animal rescues usually involve horses or cows but it was nice to report back to HQ a successful duck rescue that had a happy ending."