Being a firefighter is not all about rescuing people from burning buildings and putting out car fires – sometimes the job is just plain quackers.

This must be what the crew from Falmouth Fire Station were thinking yesterday evening when their latest shout involved a distinctly downy duo.

A daring pair ducklings had decided the calm water of Swanpool Lake was becoming a little flat for them and attempted to venture further out when disaster struck.

Swimming away from the safety of their mother, the fluffy friends took a tumble down a culvert drain next to the lake – and found they could not get out.

A member of the public heard their quacks for help and alerted the fire and rescue service, whose skills are not just kept for humans.

They used special tools to clear the way for the ducklings to successfully swim to freedom just after 9.10pm.