AROUND 300 ducks were strewn across the A4042 at Llanellen, near Abergavenny, this morning.

Traffic had to slow down to avoid them on a quarter of a mile stretch between Llanellen bridge and the southern end of the village after the boat trailer which was carrying them opened.


The plastic ducks were on their way to the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust' annual duck race in Llangynidr when they fell across the road.


Tony Pugh, 69, a volunteer for the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust, who was transporting the ducks, said: "The ducks were in the boat trailer attached to the Land Rover. The back somehow got open and 300 of them scattered half a mile down the road.


"I've had to collect them in the pouring rain as they need to be released for the duck race in Llangynidr for 2pm today. Two police officers came to help - to be fair they didn't laugh.


“I can laugh now but earlier I had to run down the road kicking the ducks to the side and then collecting them.”


He added: "It's been an eventful morning. About 2,000 ducks are going to be thrown into the canal and will have to pulled out later.


"It took about an hour to clear all the ducks, a few went over the fence into the field. A car pulled up and a child nicked a few so we've lost some ducks."


The annual duck race is in aid of the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust to fund the restoration of the canal.


A Gwent Police Spokesman said: "There were 100 ducks on the carriageway. Highways have been made aware and the ducks were cleared at 10.40am.
"There was minor disruption with traffic slowing down."