A HOUSING association which caused a major flap over plans to fill in a duck pond has agreed to rehome the birds.

Residents in Bedale were in uproar after Broadacres Housing Association Broadacres said it wanted to remove the pond at Tom Hall Court, a complex for elderly people, because of complaints over the vast numbers of ducks and mess.

The association planned to landscape the area, but after its planning application to fill in the pond was thrown out by Hambleton District Council last year, it says it now plans to gather up the birds to be rehomed before carrying out work on the site.

The ducks are being taken to a site five miles away in Patrick Brompton, where there are two large interconnected ponds and access onto a stream leading from Bedale Beck.

A spokesman for the Housing Association said:”

“The environment at Patrick Brompton is more suited to the size of duck population that currently resides at Tom Hall Court.

He said the ducks would be fed to encourage them to stay in Patrick Brompton and the pond in Bedale would be remodelled.

Hambleton District councillor John Noone said: “This is very positive, it’s nice to know the association has come round to what everyone wanted in the first place.

"It would have been nice to have this decision a year ago, the whole thing has been quackers and caused quite a lot of upset."