Blind duck rescued after getting ‘bullied’ in Whitburn Pond

A duck without the ability to see well could not survive in the wild, said Ms Thornton.

But luckily about 20 minutes after Geraldine came in to the rescue, two volunteers came in who had a “soft spot for disabled birds”.

“She’s going to get really good care,” she said. “They’ve done this many times before.”

Ms Thornton said it was “as if by magic”.

She wanted to emphasise, however, that people should not try to domesticate wild animals themselves.

“Wildlife should be in the wild,” she said, but in the case of Geraldine, “this is best outcome for her under veterinary instructions”.

“It is illegal to keep wild animals,” she said. “It has to be vet checked.”