IT might be weather for ducks, but now they can come in out of the wet and cold thanks to a specially designed duck village which is floating on a town lake.

A considerate resident who donated a floating platform last year has now built the impressive new village at Newent Lake, which was installed last month by the town council ahead of the forthcoming nesting season. 

Mallards, coots and moorhens – common inhabitants at the lake – can now use the new structure like the original one.

The platforms were towed and directed using the council’s small motorboat and then secured in the lake. 

There are three large duck houses with sizeable nesting compartments, plus several submerged plant pots on the edge of the platforms, adding vegetation.

A Newent Town Council spokesperson said they were delighted with the installation which will aid the lake’s wildlife and encourage more ducks and other wildfowl to safely roost and nest away from land-based predators.

Town Councillors Christine Howley and Eli Heathfield helped with the continuing development of the local initiative. 

Cllr Howley said: “The council is thrilled to install the duck village on the lake and is extremely grateful to the resident who again generously made and donated the structure.”

Cllr Heathfield added: “I’m sure the new platforms at Newent Lake will be well used by the various ducks and wildfowl and it adds a feature for people enjoying watching the wildlife there.”