REPORTS of distressed or injured animals from members of the public in the North East are a common occurrence for the RSPCA.

Well-meaning members of the public, however, sometimes get it wrong.

One woman in Middlesbrough decided to be a good Samaritan by reporting an animal in distress back in January 2021.

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With freezing conditions and snowfall across most of the north of England, RSPCA animal rescue officer Shane Lynn was very concerned when he had a call on January 7 from a woman reporting a duck stuck in the ice.

He said: “The caller claimed the bird had been stuck in the frozen pond for two days and hadn’t been able to move.”

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Shane braved the icy conditions to drive over to Middlesbrough, to help the stricken bird.

All was not as it seemed though.

“As soon as I arrived and located the pond I realised my help wouldn’t be required as the duck was in fact a plastic ornament!”

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