Nesting ducks are shunning parks to take up residence in gardens in the West Midlands.

Garage administrator Phil Collins, aged 55, of Bilbrook, South Staffordshire, discovered four eggs in his garden after a pair of mallards took a shine to his koi carp pond.

“A couple of weeks ago a male and female arrived in my garden. A week later the female came back and kept disappearing into the undergrowth. When I had a look there was an egg  and she kept laying another one every day until there were four. She’s incubating them so I don’t want to disturb  her.”

Meanwhile, residents in Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, have become used to finding ducks in their gardens.

Betty Clarke, aged 75, of Grovelands Crescent, has been taking photos of ducks which have set up home in her front garden.

And grandmother Maureen Davies, aged 68, also of Grovelands Crescent, said: “They come and go as they please. They must come here from West Park or one of the lakes nearby.

They’re ever so friendly – they don’t even move when you go outside.”