A rare sea duck is being cared for by RSCPA teams after it 'crash-landed' in a garden in Horsham.

The common scoter is believed to have been blown off course before it was found in Broadbridge Heath last Tuesday morning.

It's regarded as a 'red list' species as breeding population numbers have declined significantly in recent years, according to the charity.

The male sea duck was unresponsive and did not appear to want to fly, and so the worried caller rang the RSPCA.

The charity's inspector Andrew Kirby was called to the scene:

"I was quite surprised when I realised what type of bird this was, and it’s quite an unusual collection for the RSPCA.

"It’s not a bird I have ever been called to deal with before."

The bird was taken to the RSPCA's Mallydams Wood wildlife centre in Hastings.

"The scoter is doing well. He has a small fracture on the top of the keel bone, which was probably caused when he crash landed.

"Fortunately this will heal quite well. We’ve also washed the scoter in order to remove contamination and ensure that when he goes back on the water he is fully-waterproofed.

"He’s now out in one of pools and is showing great improvement, all being well we hope that we can release him as early as next week.

"I am so pleased that we have been able to rehabilitate him successfully so that he can then be released back to the wild.”

Richard Thompson, wildlife rehabilitation team manager, Mallydams Wood