Volunteers flock to town's goose ground force day

A town's gaggle of geese can now be treated on a new bird ward after volunteers held a goose ground force day.

The Geese of March Facebook group, which has nearly 8,000 members, appealed for people to help transform a site at animal welfare charity Sally's Duck Rescue.

Chrissie Fadipe, who co-ordinates sales of merchandise for the flock, which roams freely in the Cambridgeshire town, said a treatment centre was badly needed.

Last month, two geese suffered gashed heads and needed treatment after run-ins with swans.

Fadipe says the idea to renovate a wooden building into a riverbird hospital at Sally's Duck Rescue, near Wisbech, was suggested after two geese deaths.

One died in a suspected dog attack, the second was killed by a swan protecting its nest.

"We were really shocked to lose two of the flock, with two more geese being badly attacked by swans last month," she said.

Fadipe said the new facility would help all manner of injured waterfowl in need of rehabilitation.

Sally Jones, who founded Sally's Duck Rescue with her husband, Tim, said she was grateful to the volunteers who had supported the charity.

"What started as a small rescue facility in our back garden has grown into one of the UK's largest waterfowl rescues, and projects like this simply wouldn't be possible without community support," she said.

Jones added that new fencing and hospital facilities would improve the help given to sick, injured and elderly ducks.

"The goose ground force day will make a lasting difference to the hundreds of birds that rely on us for a safe and permanent home," she said.

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