A duck with a hook in his throat and fishing line hanging out of his mouth has been rescued by the RSPCA.

Officers were called to Edenbridge after the mallard was spotted by concerned members of the public who contacted the charity.

Inspector Kirsten Ormerod collected the stricken bird and took him to the RSPCA Mallydams Wood Wildlife Centre in Hastings.

The duck was sedated and vets carefully removed the hook and line. It was then given antibiotics and pain relief, and was monitored at the centre until he had completely recovered and was ready to be released back to the wild.

Kirsten said: “Thankfully, the vets managed to successfully remove the hook and line and it was lucky there was not too much damage to him. After two weeks he made a complete recovery and was released back to the wild by my colleague Tina Nash.

“Sadly, injuries to wildlife caused by fishing litter is something we see all too often and we strongly urge those who enjoy fishing to be extra careful to ensure nothing is left behind. Most anglers are very responsible when disposing of their litter, but it only takes one careless person to endanger the life of an animal.”

The RSPCA suggests anglers join the Angling Trust’s Take 5 campaign and make use of the Anglers National Line recycling scheme to dispose of their waste tackle and line.

Angling litter recycling points are now sited at the RSPCA’s four wildlife centres at West Hatch in Taunton, Somerset; Stapeley Grange in Nantwich, Cheshire; East Winch near King’s Lynn, Norfolk; and Mallydams Wood in Hastings, East Sussex, as well as at hundreds of other sites throughout the UK.

If any member of the public sees discarded litter around they are asked to pick it up to dispose of it properly, in a bin.

The charity says all sorts of fishing litter can cause problems. Line wrapped around necks can cause deep wounds and cut off the blood supply; hooks can pierce beaks and skin or get caught in a bird's throat; and weights can be swallowed, causing internal injuries and blockages.

Tips to help tackle the problem include:

• Taking unwanted fishing line home and cut it into pieces before putting in the bin.
• Being aware of discarded line caught in surrounding trees.
• Don’t leave bait unattended.
• Use a bait box to reduce the chances of leaving behind an empty bait tin by mistake.
• Don’t leave hooks, weights or other paraphernalia behind.

Find out more online at www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter/fishing.

If you spot an animal in distress, please call the RSPCA’s helpline on 0300 1234 999.

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