A family of adorable ducklings was rescued from the roof of Croydon Council’s offices.

A mother duck chose the leafy greenery atop Bernard Weatherill House’s fifth floor to raise her 10 fluffy offspring, prompting a lunchtime rescue mission to rehome the fluffy critters.

Council staff spent their break on Tuesday rounding up the hatchlings and giving them water to help them cope with the scorching heat.

But one cheeky duckling resisted authorities, hiding in the garden to avoid being rehomed.

Staff, who had already caught the duckling’s nine brothers and sisters, used the mother duck to coax the little one out of hiding and into safety.

Presumably the mother duck said “quack, quack, quack, quack” and one little duck came back.

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The ducklings will be rehomed at a park with water

Jill Small, a council customer service advisor, said: “This morning we looked out and spotted that a duck had decided to start a family on the fifth floor green roof of our offices.

“We put out trays of water because of the heat and called in a volunteer from the [charity] Swan Sanctuary.

“He quickly helped us catch mother duck and nine of her ducklings.

“The last duckling proved more elusive, but after we brought the mother out in her cage the youngster immediately broke cover so we could reunite it with its family.

“I’m sure none us had any idea what we would be doing with our lunch hour when we came into work today – but it’s great this story had a happy ending.”

The Swan Sanctuary is to rehome the ducks at a park with water.