A FAMILY of ducks strayed onto the slip road of the M90 on Sunday afternoon triggering a rescue bid by the Scottish SPCA.

The charity was alerted to the plight of the birds at around 3pm and it is believed that several ducklings fled after the mother duck is thought to have died having been struck by a vehicle.

Efforts to locate the little ones proved unsuccessful.

Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Abbi Gallagher said: “I can confirm we responded to a call yesterday from a concerned member of the public who came across a duck and her ducklings on the slip road for Rosyth, southbound, on the M90.

“We are not sure how they came to be there but it is possible they had mistakenly come through a gate on the motorway that led onto a forest.

“This would be a very dangerous situation for any wildlife and, heartbreakingly, the mother duck was found deceased, most likely hit by a vehicle.

“Because of this incident, it is natural for the ducklings to scatter and hide. They lay silent which makes them very difficult to find. Sadly because of this we were unable to locate them.

“If you see any wildlife that are injured or in harm’s way, please contact our animal helpline immediately on 03000 999 999.”