FRESHWATER Independent Lifeboat crew were called into action to rescue an abandoned swimmer experiencing difficulty in The Bay last week.

The swimmer was a duckling in distress and it nearly drove them quackers as they tried to get it onto dry land.

Trainee coxswain Richard Barton-Wood said: "As we were finishing our training session a lone duckling was spotted in the bay by one of the crew.

"We scoured the area but couldn't find any other ducks, so it had obviously been abandoned

"Some people did try to get close to it but it just swam further out. Fortunately, one of our crew had his own boat on the beach, so he went out and coaxed it back onto dry land.

"Some hungry gulls were circling in the sky, and I didn't think it would last the night.

"So I managed to pick it up and took it home where we made sure it was safe and fed.

"The following day, we were looking to rehome it and my wife Sam's hairdresser Christina came to the rescue.

"She has a menagerie of animals and birds so she has taken it in and we can report that it is doing very well.

"There is also a pond there, so it if wants to fly away when it is older then it is free to do so."

The duckling has been happily swimming in Christina's bath and will be released when he gets bigger.