A LOST and lonely duckling found wandering on a main road near York is now earning its keep as a "foster carer" at a wildlife rescue centre.

The little bird was spotted on the main road in Acaster Malbis and taken to the Wildlife Orphanage in Barlby, where animal rescue worker Annette Pyrah took it in and began to nurse it back to full strength.

Within days, Annette was called about another orphaned duckling, and the Acaster Malbis bird found itself a "foster carer" for a smaller creature.

Annette said: "I received a call late on Saturday night to say another tiny duckling was arriving from Leeds. An horrific story of cruelty unfolded and I was told that a number of 12 year old boys had allegedly killed the mother duck and her ducklings with a stick. Another little boy aged 10 was so distressed at what he saw that he saved this little one which is now with us.

"Unfortunately she was so distressed she cried for two hours, so at 11pm I decided to put her in with the Acaster Malbis duckling which is slightly bigger.

"It’s always a risk putting a smaller baby with a bigger one, but I knew it was my only option to save her."

Annette's gamble paid off, and the tiny frightened bird was soon looking much stronger in the care of its bigger friend.

Annette added: "In the morning they were sitting together under the heater like two best friends. The older duckling has taken the traumatised baby under her wing and they are now inseparable."

"I cannot for the life of me begin to understand why children should take a stick and bludgeon to death a mother duck and her ducklings. If those responsible for this vile and cruel act could have heard this baby duckling crying for her family then maybe they would think twice."

Annette is urging anyone who finds an orphaned duckling not put it onto water, as the small birds would be quickly under threat by adult ducks, but to get them to a wildlife rescue centre.

The Wildlife Orphanage in Barlby can be contacted on 0771 1883072 and their website www.wildlifeorphans.co.uk has advice about wildlife.