A community group has been set up in a North Yorkshire town to protect the duck population at night after the birds started to settle in the market square each evening.
Residents in Thirsk have been taking it in shifts as wardens to protect a flock of about 30 ducks, who have been making the trip from the river to the town centre for the last two months.
After seeing some near misses and the death of two ducks and two ducklings, who were hit by cars travelling through Thirsk, the community rallied around to offer protection to the birds.
Dubbed 'Duck Wardens', people in Thirsk have been volunteering their time from about 8.30pm each evening to ensure that the ducks are safe.
Using several traffic cones and some plastic tape, the wardens have managed to cordon off the section of Market Square car park in Thirsk where the ducks have come to settle.
The group was set up by Thirsk resident Jodie Wood, who noticed that the ducks had migrated from the river at night, potentially because of other animals now moving into their 'spot'.
She said: "We noticed that the ducks would make the same journey each night and would be walking down and across main roads to the market square.
"We act to shepherd the ducks to safety and then we've put out cones to make sure they aren't hit by cars."
Jodie, who works at a nearby hotel, is at work most evenings but makes sure to entrust eight or nine other members of the community to make sure the ducks are looked after.
This is particularly important when Thirsk Races are on, which has seen race revellers chase the ducks and scare them into the road.
Jodie added: "Some people have taken the warden role as vital - some people have been known to watch them until about 2am on weekends to make sure drunk people don't bother the ducks.
"Some ducks seem to come up the market place and others stay in the river - it's strange how it works."
While the duck group is separate from the council and is about the community coming together to protect the animals, Jodie and the volunteers have asked the council for official signage to help them continue their work.
Jodie now wants to spread awareness of the issue and help others understand the role they can play in keeping the ducks safe, including slowing down when driving through Thirsk.
"We're working with people to spread awareness that these ducks might be here to stay and we need to make changes for them in our day to day lives.
Alongside the physical group, a Facebook group named 'Thirsk Ducks' has been set up to help coordinate who is helping and coordinating being wardens, as well as people sharing images and videos of the ducks and what they are up to.
Some people on the group have expressed that it is a "phenomenal show of community spirit."
Videos in the post by Richard Gouldthorpe.
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