11 ducklings that had fallen into a storm drain were saved by firefighters.
Shortly after 9:00 BST on Wednesday, they fell about 0.9m (3 feet) in Bocking End in Braintree.
According to Essex Fire and Rescue Service, a bystander who saw the "mother duck in a flap" became aware of their plight.
Crews were able to rescue nine of them, but two got stuck in a pipe and had to be pulled out later. This delayed their reunion with their mother.
"We were able to remove the storm drain cover, and the ducklings were 2 to 3 feet down," crew manager Paul Mayes said.
Nine of the ducklings were removed using a bucket, but two of them fell into a different pipe.
They were terrified and resisted leaving. But we went back in the afternoon and caught them with a little fishing net.
"We're thrilled to be able to put them back together with their mother.
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