Wick kids help save duck family
A mother and her seven ducklings were saved thanks to the fast actions of children and other residents on West Banks Avenue in Wick.
A local woman had seen the mother duck with her brood following behind at South Road earlier in the day and it seems as if mum was trying to make it to the river via West Banks Avenue.
Florence Murton-Armer (14) was first to be aware that something was untoward on the street outside: "I was looking out my bedroom window and could hear the ducklings running across the street."
Florence was worried as the family cat, Tom, had been known to bring dead birds home in the past, so she alerted her parents and brother Sebastian (9) to help catch them.
"I saw four ducklings go across the street and mum, dad and Sebastian were outside with the mother duck and three other ducklings in our back garden. I helped keep Tom away from them," added Florence.
The children and their parents were joined by neighbours as they all went on a duck hunt to track down the missing babies that had disappeared into shrubs at a nearby property.
With around eight people chasing the little creatures they were eventually rounded up and safely gathered together in a cardboard box – safely away from Tom the cat who was lurking in the background.
Sebastian said he saved one duckling that tried to climb a tree by using a net that his dad uses for fishing. "I was really happy we got them all," he said.
"There was a time when we were in Golspie and Tom got a bird and we saved it and let it go."

Dad Colin got the mother duck into Tom's carrying box and with the ducklings in the other box they drove down to Wick river to unite them and let them go free.
"I was very pleased and very happy that they're all together and on the river now," added Sebastian.
A few days later the duck family were seen all together and swimming around a small island in the river.