Ducks help to meet bills for saving wildlife at beauty spot

On Saturday volunteers with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust had planned to launch 1,200 plastic ducks into the River Wharfe at Bolton Abbey to raise vital money to help look after the wild places and species across West Yorkshire and beyond.

But the water level was too high, so instead they held a “duck chuck” throwing event.

Otters and water voles are just two of the species to have benefited from the Trust’s work.

A Trust spokesman said: “Yorkshire’s wildlife and wild places are under constant threat from development and climate change.

“Thanks to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust supporters we are able to work to create and improve Yorkshire’s wild places, providing better habitat for Yorkshire’s much loved species to thrive.”

Visitors to Bolton Abbey were invited to sponsor a duck for £1.

Other charities taking part were the Halifax Street Angels, which works with police and other organisations in the town to reduce disorder and improve the night-time economy, The Leprosy Mission in Yorkshire and Humber and the St Augustine’s Centre in Halifax.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust manages 82 reserves in Yorkshire.