A RINGWOOD duck, reputed to be one of the oldest on record, died at the grand old age of 22 just after Christmas.

Much-loved mallard Edwina died in her pen on December 28.

Christine Christopher and Ian Knight from Poulner rescued Edwina when she was just a tiny duckling after finding her abandoned in a lake near their home.

They took her under their wing, calling her Edward until she started laying eggs.

After nursing Edwina back to health, Mr Knight tried to release her into the wild but she followed him back home and had been living with the family ever since.

In July Edwina shot to fame following her 22nd birthday. The British Trust for Ornithology claimed she was the oldest known wild mallard in the UK.

Mr Knight, who found Edwina dead in her run, said: “She hadn’t been well over Christmas.

“Her legs were a bit wobbly and we were concerned that she wasn’t her normal self.

“We had been planning to take her to the vet’s when we discovered that she had passed away.

“It might sound silly to some people but 22 years is a long time to have a pet and we are heartbroken to have lost Edwina.”

He added: “She had become a bit of a celebrity and, after we appeared on television on her 22nd birthday, someone recognised me at Palma airport in Majorca.”