Ducklings have been pulled out of a pond, manhandled and on one occasion played with on a slide, according to concerned residents in a Suffolk town.

Needham Market is home to a large family of Mallard ducks based on land and in water off Barratt's Lane.

Suffolk Police said it was investigating after receiving a report which listed about four incidents of ducklings being mistreated.

Town mayor Terry Lawrence warned such behaviour could result in the baby ducks becoming alienated from their family, ultimately resulting in their deaths.

"Please desist because it is illegal to actually interfere with the birds," said Mr Lawrence.

"The ducklings are there for everybody's pleasure and all you are doing is harming and scaring them and their parents.

"It's ignorance – but we should not be too derogatory about the whole town because of the behaviour of one or two people – the vast majority enjoy and value them."

Jamie Hudson said she intervened when she saw two young girls chasing the ducklings and stamping in their vicinity.

"It is disgraceful," she said.

"The ducks have been here for years and the people of Needham Market love them."

Hayley Smith, 51, from the town, added: "They are wildlife, not pets, and it is not acceptable – it is unkind and unfair and it's kids being mindless."

Ally Tuohy said she stepped in when she saw a couple – who were not children – trying to capture one of the ducklings and put it in a blue container.

"It was really distressing and horrible to see, but I managed to stop them," said the 30-year-old.

"It is an issue the town is clearly emotionally invested in because these lovely ducklings are so special and sadly so vulnerable."

The RSPCA said it was "really concerned" by the reports.

A spokesperson said waterfowl were protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which made it a criminal offence to intentionally kill, injure or take a bird, "except under licence".

"The ducklings in these incidents will have suffered great stress from being used as objects of play and being targeted for cruel games."

There were people "out there" deliberately targeting wildlife and sometimes using weapons such as airguns and catapults, the spokesperson added.

Needham Market Town Council said it was informed by police of the reported incidents.

Care home staff who scaled Snowdon in treacherous weather have raised almost £4,000 for a local dementia choir.

A team of 10 from Glenvale Park in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, were hiking up the mountain when conditions took a dramatic turn.

Most abandoned the final push for the 1,085m (3,560ft) summit after visibility reduced, the temperature dropped and winds whipped around them at 80mph.

Home manager Carley Calder said she had to remind herself of the good work by the charity Dementia Sings Out, which helps her residents.

"I had a last bit of wind and thought I have to get up here," she said.

Ms Calder was among four who continued, as they were "so close to the summit", but others considered it was too dangerous for them.

The group included family members and a charity volunteer.

Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is a "challenging" hike, according to the Eryri National Park Authority, which advises visitors to be well prepared as the weather can often change without warning.

Fellow climber Louise Clarke, the home's lifestyle manager, had helped organise the trip on 29 March and was among those who bowed out.

"I had kept an eye on the weather, and it said it was going to turn at 16:00, but it came in much earlier, at 11:00," she explained.

"Suddenly we couldn't see where we were going.

"The cloud came in, from above and below, visibility had gone, the wind picked up, we all got blown over, then it started snowing and hailing, it was -10C with wind chill.

"It was terrifying.

"But when we got to accommodation and had a few hours to let it all sink in, we were really proud of ourselves."

The team raised £3,936 for Dementia Sings Out, which runs a free choir session at Compass Church, off Finedon Road, each week.

Batteries left on charge which then overheat have sparked six house fires in a county so far this year, a fire service has warned.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said the electrical devices involved included e-scooters, e-bikes, power tools, a games console and a portable power bank.

In the most recent incident on Tuesday, a battery from a DIY home conversion e-bike kit exploded at a house in Wisbech, starting a large fire and leaving one resident with burns.

"These incidents highlight the potential risks that lithium-ion batteries can pose and how it is vital for people to be alert when charging any kind of device," said station commander Gareth Boyd.

He urged people to use charging packs provided by manufacturers, not cheaper replacements that might not work safely and could lead to "explosions and rapidly intense fires".

Other incidents in the county have included a fire on the ground floor of a house in the Chesterton area of Cambridge.

An e-scooter and several power tools had been on charge in the living room and one battery had exploded.

In March, there was a fire in the kitchen of a house in Soham, where a games console controller and a portable power bank were being charged.

Just days later, crews went to Orton Malborne in Peterborough, where there was a fire involving a battery used in a DIY home conversion e-bike kit, bought in an online marketplace.

One resident's burns needed hospital treatment.

Firefighters in the county have put out 33 battery-related blazes since January 2023.

Safety tips include making sure replacement batteries and chargers are the right voltage and are fully compatible, and charging devices while you are awake, not during the night.

The fire service's Take Charge and Be Safe page has more advice.