AN animal ambulance was called in to try and save 50 birds poisoned at a lake.

The dying animals were discovered during preparations for an open day at the Tarn, near Court Road, Eltham.

Willow Wildlife Rescue, a husband and wife team who voluntarily operate the ambulance equipped with stretchers, oxygen and drips, from their home in Chislehurst, were called in by concerned Friends of the Tarn members.

Eddie Williams and wife Pat worked for days from 5am to 9pm, helping remove 50 birds from the water, including mallards, tufty ducks and geese.

But despite putting some of them on drips to help remove the toxins, only 16 survived. News Shopper: Only 16 of the birds survived

Mr Williams, 70, said: “By the time everyone realised it was a problem it was too late - we were losing too many.

“Those that came to shore alive were put on a drip straight away and we stabilised them. They were then taken to the Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton.

“Those that survived overnight had a good chance.”

Friends chairwoman Carole Thomas said: “The people who come in and see it are absolutely incensed to see all the animals dying.

“Having spent the last week watching the ducks slowly fade in front of my eyes I know that I don’t ever want to witness a disaster like this again.”

News Shopper: An animal ambulance was called to put the ducks on drips

She said the tarn is now so shallow that the water is quickly becoming stagnant.

The group wants to raise up to £50,000 to get the pond dredged so silt can be removed and to investigate why the flow of the water has deteriorated in recent years.

Secretary of the friends’ group June Hurst said the water quality had been criticised in a report last January but no action had been taken.

A post-mortem will be carried out on one of the mallards in due course.

News Shopper is awaiting a response from Greenwich Council.