A mallard duck mounted an epic rescue mission to recover her six chicks when they were washed down a storm drain.The ducklings seemed doomed when they were swept away from their mother down a drain cover in Newcastle, reports the Daily Mail.However, their determined parent refused to accept their loss, and followed their cheeps for over a mile, across roads, roundabouts, rail lines, two school fields and the grounds of a hospital.Eventually they came to a halt, and the unnamed mother duck stood guard by the manhole cover above them - for four hours.Jogger Peter Elliott, 59, had noticed the quacking mother as he set out, but was confused to find her still patrolling the same area upon his return.His two-year-old grandson James heard the stranded ducklings when he came out with his mother Vicki, 30, to investigate.Mr Elliott, his son-in-law Rob Jefferson, 30, and neighbour, Jim Calder, 62, armed themselves with a crowbar and other tools and set about rescuing the ducklings.
"We managed to haul this heavy manhole cover up and saw six little ducklings scrabbling around in the drain," said Mr Elliott. "We got a little fishing net from the house and lifted each duckling out in turn.
