Village to hold funeral and wake for dead duck

A duck that has lived on a pond in Compton Martin, Somerset, for the past twenty five years will be given a special send off by villagers. Desmond Drake, who was killed by a fox earlier this week, will be given official wake and the church will fly its flag at half-mast to mourn his death.
Andrew Griffiths, 68, who owns the mill pond where Desmond was a resident, said the longstanding feathered resident had a special place in the hearts of many local people. He added: "He will be sadly missed, both for his propensity to consume stale bread and cake, along with his ability to toss upstart young moorhens all over the place.
"He has been a permanent fixture of the pond, for in excess of 25 years, outliving all his contemporaries. He has brought much joy and happiness to people of all ages. He will be sadly missed and so can never be replaced. We said we would have a wake for the duck. When we decide to do it we will drop the flag to half-mast on the cult.

"We will all have a drink in the pub. He was a very long serving duck and member of the community. He became family, he became a village icon. There was even a little society, the blood of the duck, and we would drink whiskey with a duck egg in. Lots of people have been giving their condolences since his death." A wake, which does not yet have a date, will be held at the village pub, The Ring O'Bells.