You could have the cutest job in the world and become a duck-crossing warden
Is this possibly the cutest job in the world?
It certainly seems so for residents in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, who escort 20 ducks each evening so they roost for the night.
The ducks first started to make the trip unsupervised last year which meant four were killed while crossing the road.
This is when the locals, affectionately known as 'duckies', decided to step in and help.
Once the ducks pick their favourite spot, the 'duckies' place cones around them and watch the cute birds until they sleep.
It's a mystery why the ducks make the trip but some believe the mother ducks feel safer sleeping with their chicks away from river predators.
Emma-Jayne Hutchings, 48, volunteers and said: 'It is really heartwarming and adorable escorting the ducks on their walk.
'You know when they are leaving as they all start quacking like a call for arms then they march up in two battalions.
'It has brought a wealth of community spirit with all parts getting involved to make sure the ducks are safe.
'We have have been donated high-vis jackets to wear and food for the ducks.
'The local pub, the Mowbray Arms provides us with cups of tea or coffee whilst we watch over them.
'Not just that it has been a really nice way to meet like-minded people who have since become friends.'
Chocolate consultant
Beer taster
Master sommelier
Gumologist
Tea taster
Professional bridesmaid
Dog surfing instructor
Zookeeper
LEGO builder
Professional snuggler
The formation of the 'duckies' was the brainchild of Jodie Wood, 41, who set up a Facebook page and now organises volunteers alongside Emma to keep the ducks safe.
What's more, the group has officially gone viral and has received support across the globe from countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Italy.
Jodie revealed that it's not all fun and games though when volunteering as a duckie.
Although it isn't technically a job you can apply for, the group is asking for volunteers (if you want to travel then you might have too).
The best place is to join the Facebook Page, Thirsk Ducks.
'Sometimes we get drunk revellers trying to touch them, mess with them and walk through them,' she revealed. More Trending
'But 99 per cent of the time it's fine and people just come to chat and take pictures, but you do get the odd one.
'We've not had any fatalities since we started the group and had the volunteers.
'We are lucky to have such a great following and so much support.'
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Zoo kills 12 baboons because there wasn't enough space
MORE: Couple in their 40s die after falling from cliff
MORE: Radioactive wasp nest is found at former US nuclear bomb site
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Morrisons slashes the price of an outdoor buy that's ‘perfect' for camping – it's less than £10
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you're planning a camping trip before the end of summer, Morrisons has just the thing. The retailer has slashed the price of a handy gadget that will level up your experience. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Morrisons has slashed the price of a portable pink barbecue to just £8 Credit: Facebook / Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group Dining al fresco is half the fun of the camping experience, but it can be difficult trying to cook outside. Don't worry about locating a campsite with grills or going all Bear Grylls and cooking over an open fire. A quick trip to Morrisons can help you instantly elevate your outdoor dining experience. The shop has reduced the price of the Nutmeg Outdoor Small Portable Barbecue from £10 to £8. Bargain buy This deal was shared in the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK. "Spotted this in Morrisons," the savvy shopper wrote alongside a picture from the clearance section. The fun pink gadget received an enthusiastic response from her fellow Facebook users. "Look at the colour," wrote one impressed commenter. Another person agreed, sharing their thoughts on "how cute" the item looked. "This and a game of rounders, what more could I want?" said a third person. Shopper urges others to nab £8 Morrisons case perfect for EasyJet flights and a breeze to take through the airport "That'll be perfect," said another camping enthusiast. "I need this," commented one bargain hunter, while another person tagged their friend, writing: "We need one". More BBQ buys And Tesco is selling a BBQ essential for £18 less than a John Lewis version. Plus, B&Q is selling a £120 barbecue for just £36, and it even has a secret compartment to make cleaning it a doddle. A £3.50 disposable barbecue is perfect for camping and summer evenings. Three camping tips from an expert David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly. When visiting any campsite this summer it's important to make sure you're not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday. Check your tent David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you're due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts. He told Sun Online Travel: 'You'd be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents." Test the ground Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider. One of those should be the condition of the ground you're putting your tent on top of, according to David. He said: 'Once you've found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough." Don't nap in your tent It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it's done at the wrong time of the day. David explained: "If the sun's shining and it's hot inside your tent - don't do it! "One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke." Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated. More camping buys And a round-up of camping buys that have been tried and tested for festivals and family holidays. Plus, Aldi shoppers are flocking to the middle aisle for bargain camping and festival gear. Or you can nab the deals at the cheapest shops to buy festival and camping essentials. And Argos is selling a six-person tent for £364 cheaper than North Face's version. Plus, an £18 tent that's available for £200 less than North Face's version.
Metro
14 hours ago
- Metro
Man picks 'dirt from under his partner's toenails' during easyJet flight
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A holidaymaker saw a fellow passenger 'pick dirt from under his partner's toenails' during an EasyJet flight. Erin Butcher, 27, had been enjoying a seven-day family holiday in Tenerife, Spain, when her return journey home took a nasty twist. When looking around in the packed plane, she saw a woman's bare feet splayed out on a tray table. The fashion merchandiser from Southwark, London, said she felt 'disgusted' when noticing a man then appeared to be giving her a makeshift pedicure. Footage shows how he used his bare hands to flick bits of dirt off her manicured toenails. The couple continued the bizarre grooming activity for around 20 minutes, Erin claimed, and were unfazed by other passengers' confused reactions. The holidaymaker said the toenail incident was a 'depressing' way to end her week-long holiday. She said: 'I felt so disgusted and I couldn't believe it. 'The partner was sprawled across the seats with her feet on the tray table, which was shocking enough. 'Her partner then started picking at her toenails and flicking little bits [of dirt] everywhere. It was disgusting. 'I was absolutely horrified. I was with my family and none of us could actually believe what was happening.' Erin described the activity as 'questionable' but felt relieved she was not sat next to them on the over the four-hour trip home. She continued: 'Even to do that in the privacy of your own home is questionable but to put them on a tray table where people are eating off all day. 'I was relieved I wasn't sitting next to them. I had the perfect view from my aisle seat which is horrifying. I couldn't really take my eyes off even though I wanted to.' She labelled the couple's toenail session as 'unhygenic' and said most passengers laughed at the pair, while others seemed horrified. Erin said: 'As if things aren't depressing enough when your week in the sun has just ended and you're faced with toe picking the whole way home.' When the Londoner shared the video on TikTok, many users expressed their disgust in the comments. More Trending One user simply wrote, 'totally gross', while another said, 'save it for later'. Another commenter suggested toenail picking should not be tolerated in any situation, adding: 'That's disgusting anywhere'. A different user simply asked the question: 'Why on earth?' Metro has approached EasyJet for a comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: British holidaymakers terrified after plane tyre explodes on take-off MORE: Billionaire hotel tycoon reveals £25,000,000,000 Heathrow expansion plan MORE: Ryanair axes all flights to three European destinations — including a winter break hotspot
Metro
15 hours ago
- Metro
Friends left outraged after Airbnb host rejects booking because they are Welsh
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Short notice, too many guests or pets not allowed – these are the reasons you might expect when an Airbnb host tells you to find somewhere else to stay. This wasn't the case for two gobsmacked music fans, who had their innocent request to stay in Manchester rejected because they were Welsh. Jemma Louise Gough, 38, and friend Jamie Lee Watkins, 37, had requested an Airbnb room in the city so they could see Australian DJ Sonny Fodera at the Co-op Live Arena. The pair, from Cwmbran in South Wales, were trying to book a double room for just one night in November. They told the Airbnb host they were coming 'from Wales to see the gig' when everything went awry. Jemma and Jamie then received an email telling them their booking request had been rejected. When they asked why, the prospective host replied: 'Because you're from WALES.' Mum-of-two Jemma said: 'We had an email that our booking had been declined and we were getting a refund. 'We wrote 'Hi, can I ask why it's been declined?', with a kiss, very politely.' The school support officer said her 'mouth hit the floor' when she read message telling her the booking was cancelled because of where she was from. She added: 'Nothing else other than 'because you're from Wales'. 'It was nothing about us going to the concert or whatever, it was just discrimination of the country. 'We're amazing people, the Welsh are lush. I don't know what me and my friend – or the whole of Wales – did that's so horrible. It's absolutely horrendous.' The pair shot back asking for more explanation, and told the host it was 'discrimination under the Equality Act 2010'. According to Jemma, that message the host read that message but did not reply. Registered nurse Jamie, who was the one trying to make the booking, said: 'I just thought, 'oh my gosh, how can you say no just because I'm from Wales?'. 'It was really blunt, just one line: because you are from, in capitals, Wales. What difference does that make? I was just a bit shocked really that people still say things like that.' More Trending Jemma took to social media to express her outrage at the cancellation. She said she 'had to tell the world about this' adding they had reported the host. An Airbnb spokesperson said: 'Discrimination, including on the basis of nationality, has no place on Airbnb. As soon as this report was brought to our attention, we reached out to the guest to provide our support and suspended the host while we investigate this matter.' The holiday rental company do have an Open Doors initiative, which means the company provide support to guests who feel they have been discriminated against. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Popular Italian restaurant chain on brink of administration to close six sites MORE: 'My son died riding on an e-scooter – we need to end these needless tragedies' MORE: 'Bonnie and Clyde' couple jailed after fantasising and planning rape of children
