A “plump” duck has been rescued after being left on a train at Herne Hill Station in London.

The duck, named Jack by a rescuer, was found by a passenger on Friday evening as Southeastern railway alerted travellers to the incident on Twitter and requested its owner “please make yourself known” to station staff.

The duck’s saviour, Ann Aitken-Davies from London Wildlife Protection, said she named the bird Jack after the baby found in a handbag on a train station in Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest.

“Jack was in a nappy and squashed into a bag,” she told the PA news agency.

“He is plump and in very good condition.

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“I have no idea why he was dumped but his owner knew he would be found if left on a train.”

Jack remains with a Swan Sanctuary volunteer and will be given a permanent home there after a period of quarantine.

Southeastern tweeted that Jack is believed to be a pet and thanked Twitter users for “all for your concerns for its welfare (and, of course, your quacking puns!)”

“Hope it hasn’t missed the last train – otherwise it will have to get up at the quack of dawn to get the next one,” one person responded.