A Fenland veterinary practice has urged anglers to take used fish hooks home after treating a duck that had one stuck in its bill. 

The female mallard was taken to Nene Veterinary Group‘s March branch in Upwell Road by a member of the public who found her near the river.

At Nene Vets, vets Giuseppe Palatucci and Vasilica Emanuel Stoica, along with veterinary nurse Amber King, worked together to gently hold the duck and remove the hook.

The team then gave her a health check to ensure she was well enough to be released.

Amber, who is studying for a qualification in wildlife nursing, said the hook had been preventing the duck from fully opening her bill and could have had serious consequences if not removed.

She said: “The hook may have been there for several days and was probably preventing her from eating because she was a little bit underweight.

"She was much happier as soon as we’d removed the hook and let us know by quacking very loudly.

“She seemed well otherwise with no other visible injuries, so we gave her a clean bill of health and she was able to be released back to the river where she was hopefully reunited with her mate.

She added: “There was a positive outcome for this duck, but fish hooks and fishing line can cause horrible injuries and even death in birds and wildlife, so we would urge fishermen not to discard them and to make sure they take all their equipment safely home with them.

“It’s also a good idea for dog owners to be vigilant if they are walking their pets near the river and to look out for discarded hooks, as these could become embedded in paws.”

Nene Vets March is part of Nene Veterinary Group, which also has surgeries in Peterborough and Wisbech.