An eagle-eyed detective has been praised for helping rescue three ducks stolen from a community farm in Trowbridge after reading an article in the Wiltshire Times.

Detective Constable Nicky Caffrey put two and two together when she read the story about the thefts in our last issue and remembered seeing the ducks in the garden of a house in Warminster.

A 22-year-old Warminster man has been charged with stealing the ducks, including two Aylesbury ducks called Jeremy and Jerome, on April 6.

He was also arrested in connection with the theft of a 12-day-old lamb from a farm in Upton Scudamore, near Warminster, on March 28.

The lamb, mysteriously dumped on a doorstep in Pound Street, Warminster, has since died, despite being returned to Farnicombe Farm.

Sgt Jim Stannard, of Wiltshire Police’s Priority Crime Team, said: “Just because it isn’t hundreds of thousands of pounds of stolen property doesn’t mean it is not serious. It is the community impact and it is the impact on the victims that has a lasting affect.”

DC Nicky Caffrey said: “I went round to the house on other enquiries and was shown these three ducks. I didn’t think anything of it.

“Then over the weekend I read your article and thought ‘that’s a coincidence’. I said to my colleague ‘I think those ducks are stolen’.

“We took them back to the farm. They were so chuffed, it was a really nice feeling to give them back.”

The ducks, which were on medication, have now been returned to Larkrise, a community-based farm project helping disadvantaged and disabled children.

Farm manager Wendy Self said: “The boy who looks after the ducks was quite upset when we told him they had been stolen.

“We are just over the moon that they have been returned.”

Three geese also stolen from the farm on Maundy Thursday have yet to be recovered.

Earlier this month we reported that the missing lamb found in Warminster had been returned to Upton Scudamore farmer Jim Dufosee, but just days later the lamb died following its ordeal.

Mr Dufosee said: “I guess it was just stress and an upset stomach that caused it. It was very young and susceptible.

“It just about summed the whole thing up. I just can’t believe that anyone would want to steal a young lamb.”

l The 22-year-old man charged with theft of the ducks has been released on police bail and is due to appear before magistrates in Chippenham on May 7. He is also charged with theft of a motorbike and a charge of taking a vehicle without consent