Hanging basket duck leads chicks to safety

A mother duck who chose to lay her eggs in a hanging basket at a popular garden and greenhouse attraction has led her chicks to safety.

Named Hoisin by staff at the Royal Horticultural Societys (RHS) Garden Wisley, the bird had built her nest eight feet above the ground.

The precarious position had led to workers fearing for the health of her brood, with some worried that they would injure themselves as they left the nest.

There was also the problem of the long waddle to the lake, but Hoisin seems to have overcome these problems with ease.

Staff had erected a table with dense foliage below the basket and had planned to keep watch for when Hoisin led her brood towards the lake.

However, she snuck out early in the morning and it was not until she and her ducklings were spotted on the water that anyone realised they had gone.

In other news, the RHS recently reported on British Beekeepers Association figures which show that the decline in honeybee numbers has begun to reverse.