Man rode bike ‘every day’ to weigh duckling at Wirral post office

RooRaaah Mew Crumbs, 45, from Meols, took his duck, Flabberghast, to Meols Post Office on Station Approach every day throughout September 2023.

In a bid to find companionship, the detectorist incubated and looked after four ducks, who he named Flibbertigibbet, Flapjack, Flotsam and Flabberghast.

RooRaaah Crumbs and Flabberghast (Image: RooRaaah Crumbs)

Roo told the Globe: “Around two years ago I put six eggs into an incubator that I bought online. Unfortunately, two of them didn’t make it which was heart breaking but the other four hatched.

“Flibbertigibbet is the only remaining duck I have kept because he was born with a dodgy leg. Ducks need companionship as they are very social creatures but they were picking on Flib and it became overwhelming for him so I rehomed the rest in Raby Mere.”

Flabberghast being weighed at Meols Post Office (Image: RooRaaah Crumbs)

Roo said that the ducks are more friends than pets to him and he loves having conversations with them.

He said: “I have Asperger's and I’ve always been happy in my own company but I wanted to share my life with someone and Cayuga ducks are a beautiful breed that are easy to look after and very sociable and friendly.

“Me and Flib are the best of friends.”

Flabberghast being weighed (Image: RooRaaah Crumbs)

Before rehoming the remaining ducks, Roo followed and documented their growth and changes which included weighing them.

RooRaaah Crumbs rode with his duck on his bike (Image: RooRaaah Crumbs)

Roo said: “I originally bought a digital luggage weigher so I would put them into a canvas bag one by one to check their weight, but it was making Flabberghast unhappy because he didn’t like being in bags.

“So I used to go on bike rides with him in the front in a basket around Meols and I know the workers down at the post office quite well.

RooRaaah Crumbs weighing a duck in a canvas bag (Image: RooRaaah Crumbs)

“I told them all about the ducks and they wanted to meet him so I asked if I could put him on the scales because he didn’t like being weighed at home and they said I could so I did that every day for a month and documented every session.

“It was lovely the workers were all chuffed about it and were very accommodating. It was very sweet.”