CHIDDINGFOLD villagers went quackers when the mother of 10 duckings on their village pond was run over on the A283 Petworth Road that runs beside it.

Hydestile Resident Animals owner and wildlife expert Graham Cornick raced to the rescue to save her large brood, but two ducklings had already perished by the time he arrived.

“They were down to eight when I got there,” he said. “Stacey Blake and quite a gaggle of other villagers turned out to help in the evening and we used lights to find them.

“I suddenly heard a little squeak and shone my torch and found them all. It was the best feeling in the world.

“I reunited the seven ducklings with their sibling at our centre.

“They are in our main unit under a lamp an are all doing really well.

“If they had been left, they would have been picked off by crows, cats, or dogs or run over on the road.”