AN animal charity has responded to 100,000 incidents during lockdown, with almost 8,000 in the region.

Across the North-East and North Yorkshire the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) attended about 8,000 incidents with County Durham taking the top spot.

Throughout County Durham the charity's frontline workers responded to 2,968 incidents from March 24 to August 5 – an average of 22 a day.

One of the rescues carried out during lockdown saw officers save a duckling who fell in a storm drain in Durham on April 11.

RSPCA Inspector Kaye Forsyth went out after the mother duck and other ducklings left the little stray at the scene.

She could see the duckling swimming around but needed the assistance of a fire crew to get the cover off and reach the duckling.

He was cared for by a wildlife rehabilitator.

In Tyne and Wear, officers responded to 2,550 incidents – an average of 19 a day.

RSPCA animal rescuers were designated key workers by the Government at the beginning of lockdown but the global pandemic has had a huge impact on the charity’s finances.

North Yorkshire saw the least number of calls in the region with the RSPCA responding to 2,465 incidents.

One of the rescue missions saw frontline workers help an injured sparrowhawk who had been found dazed in the road in York after being clipped by a car.

The Northern Echo:

He was taken to a nearby vet for a check-up.

The charity is now asking for vital funding to help the organisation continue its work rescuing animals and caring for the 6,381 animals in its care across England and Wales.

Dermot Murphy, chief inspectorate officer, said: “We’ve had to quickly and drastically change the way we work during these unprecedented times, from the way we rehome animals to the PPE we wear when responding to calls.

“But the priority for us during lockdown has been to continue to be there for those animals who need us - while also helping people who have been hit hard by the pandemic.

“Now, more than four months into lockdown, we’ve passed a milestone as we responded to our 100,000th incident. To continue our vital work and to survive the huge impact this pandemic we really need help. Donate whatever you can spare at rspca.org.uk/covid.”