SPRING is definitely in the air for one Christchurch family, who were stunned to see 14 new-born ducklings waddle across their lawn.

Unknown to the Denisons, a romantic pair of ducks had set up a nest at the bottom of their Wickfield Avenue garden.

First they knew about it was when the brood appeared without warning one morning and made straight for the swimming pool to try out their water wings.

Andy Denison said: "We have seen the mother and father flying around the garden in previous years, but we didn't have a clue there were any little ones until they all marched out together.

"It was amazing. They must have been born that day, and their mother led them straight to our swimming pool.

"The only problem was that they couldn't get out again, so we put a surfboard in the water to help them.

"Our kids love them. We've pretty much adopted them as pets. Our only worry is that we will end up with 14 ducks coming back here to breed next year."