Shropshire Star

Quacking success as duck egg hatches in drawer of knickers

It may sound quackers – but little duckling Hope entered this world in a drawer with a little help from a hot water bottle and a pile of knickers.

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Muriel Garmson, from Newport, with the duckling which hatched in her knicker drawer. The animal is set to find a new home at Hoo Farm

The adorable bird's "mother" is Muriel Garmson, who was walking along Newport Canal when she spotted a small duck egg on the floor.

Unable to locate the nest, Mrs Garmson, 65, took the egg home and put it in the first warm place she could think of, nestled snugly in the drawer in the bedroom of her home in Broomfield Road, Newport.

Six days later the duckling was born – and he is now preparing to be adopted at Hoo Farm in Telford.

Retired Mrs Garmson said: "I took the egg home in my pocket and then put it in my knickers drawer to keep it warm with a hot water bottle.

"That was Thursday and then he finally hatched on Tuesday at 9.45am.

"I could hear some chirping when I got out of the shower and there he was."

"I put him in a dog cage with cardboard around the edge and have arranged him have him homed at Hoo Farm."

The black and yellow duckling has been nicknamed Quacker to Mrs Garmson's friends, but she says she prefers to call him Hope because of the miraculous way it managed to survive against the odds.

Mrs Garmson said she rang a vet for advice on how to care for the new arrival but found that their knowledge of ducks was limited.

She resorted to asking friends for advice and says that Hope is now doing well and making himself very much at home.

"He was noisy at first but he has settled down now," said Mrs Garmson.

"When I went to talk to him this morning he didn't want me to leave the room. He thinks I'm his mummy.

"I'll be sad to see him go, but he needs to be around other ducks."

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