Mum's horror as duckling is killed at Manvers country park

A MOTHER has spoken of her horror at finding a dead duckling which she believes was killed by a teenager.
Natalie Cole and her daughter Millicent at Manvers LakeNatalie Cole and her daughter Millicent at Manvers Lake
Natalie Cole and her daughter Millicent at Manvers Lake

Natalie Cole (27), of Hirstgate, Mexborough, was at Manvers Lake on Tuesday with her five-year-old daughter Millicent when she made the grim discovery.

The RSPCA have confirmed they are investigating.

Natalie said: “I had just taken my daughter for a walk round the lake and a bite to eat after school.

“I saw this group of lads - I think they had been swimming in the lake.

“When I was looking out, I saw a duckling sitting on the lake and I thought at first it was trying to get some food.

“I saw the group looking at it and as we were about to look away, they must have thrown a rock at its head.

“I saw three big mother birds trying to scare the group away but by then the duckling had died.

“I turned round and said: ‘Have you just killed that then?’ and one of the lads turned away.

“Then one of them said: ‘You had best go get it because you’ve just killed it and there’s kids here’ and I asked him a second time, ‘Have you just killed that duckling?’

“It left me heartbroken. They walked off and that’s when I rang the RSPCA.”

Natalie added: “It horrifying just for me, but when there’s kids about you just can’t believe what’s happening.”

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said: “This sounds like an upsetting incident. We can confirm that we have received a report from a member of the public about this and are looking into it.”

The RSPCA is appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact its Appeals Line on 0300 123 8018.

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