Known as Donella Dolittle to neighbours, this 45-year-old is positively quackers about ducks.

So much so, Donella and husband Bernard Fernyhough took their pet ducks on holiday to Scotland – in a tent.

It was respite for the bereaved ducks who had lost their third feathered friend "Corrie" shortly after New Year.

Indian Runner "Bruce" and Aylesbury duck "Ellan" lost their little mate after spending the last four years together growing up in the back garden of the home on Valley Drive, Halton.

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The brood originally started off as four – until one was found beheaded by a fox in the garden three years ago.

Then the trio would rattle around the grassy play area together until Corrie died this year.

She is now buried in a grave in the centre of the garden which comes complete with ponds, hay and their very own wooden home.

Catering manager Donella said: "These are like my babies. They are great company. They are very very intelligent and they are so responsive it's unbelievable. Ever since they were babies I would pick them up and I would sit with them every night."

The pets enjoy a meal of spaghetti or Organic brown rice from Marks and Spencer.

Donella said her love of the creatures means there is no way she could eat duck meat – but she does eat their eggs.

"I could never eat ducks but she's (Ellan) laid in my hand three times and that's like a gift to us. I would hate to think of what it would be like without them."

The couple hope to extend their duck family further but want to wait until they can buy more land.

"Then we'll have loads of ducks," said Donella.

Bernard, 47, said they took the remaining pair to Scotland as they were both pining for Corrie.

"She was lying on her chest in the pond. We don't know what happened. The other two were pining for her. My mum and dad normally look after them but we decided it was too much to leave them so we took them with us."

The couple invested in a portable dog kennel for the pair who slept in it all the way up to Scotland.

"They had a whale of a time – and they stopped pining!" added Bernard.