Few could fail to be charmed by the recent story of Crispie the duck taking up residence in a Gordleton pub (Daily Echo, June 18).

However, sadly most British ducks aren’t so lucky.

Incredibly, 15 million ducks just like Crispie are slaughtered each year to supply our restaurants and supermarkets.

Almost all of these ducks are from factory farms, housed in cruel and wholly unnatural conditions. Farmed ducks are close relatives of wild ducks.

They have evolved to eat, swim, dive, clean and play in water. Water is the basis of their life.

In today’s stinking factory farms, where 10,000 birds are often crammed into one shed, they never even see water, except in their drinkers.

Happily, you can help restore freedom to Britain’s favourite bird by boycotting duck meat and by going veggie!

For information on the campaign against duck factory farming, contact Viva!, 8 York Court, Wilder St, Bristol BS2 8QH. 0117 944 1000, or viva.org.uk/ducks.

Justin Kerswell, campaigns manager, Viva!