Lost duck and her 12 ducklings guided to safety in Horsham

Shoppers watched in amazement as they spotted the lost mother duck and her tiny babies wandering around Horsham’s Carfax – perilously close to moving traffic.

Worried staff at Vacalola children’s shoe shop jumped into action when they realised the birds’ plight and began herding them towards Horsham Park.

Bianca Brace – who had just arrived in the town centre to meet her mother – hurried to help. “The duck and her 12 ducklings were right in the middle of the Carfax with the cars going round,” she said.

She joined the shop staff “and six or seven other people. We guided them up towards the subway and into the park, being careful that they didn’t go under a lorry near The Rec.”

The birds were herded across the grass towards the park pond – where they jumped into the water and swam happily away, much to the relief of their ‘herders.’

"It was just an amazing feelgood start to the day,” said Bianca, who filmed the birds’ journey through the town, along the subway and into the park.

It is not known how old the ducklings are, but ducklings younger than 10 days tend to swim and walk as a group, always close to their mother, to avoid being attacked by predators.

A duck's feathers are so waterproof that even when a duck dives underwater, the downy underlayer of feathers right next to its skin stays dry.

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