Staffordshire Police question man over allegations ducklings were mowed down by a van while crossing the road in Stoke-on-Trent

A man has been interviewed by police over allegations that a van drove over and killed three ducklings.

Staffordshire Police have been following up on claims that a motorist "could not wait" for a group of seven ducklings to cross a road in the Trentham area of Stoke-on-Trent on Friday.

In a brief statement today, police said a 61-year-old man from the area was "voluntarily interviewed" yesterday, after a witness uploaded images to social media.

The images showed the ducklings lying on the road, which sparked numerous posts calling for a criminal inquiry.

An investigation is now ongoing to establish if any offences have been committed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

A Staffordshire Police statement over the weekend advised people not to take matters into their own hands.

They said on Twitter: "We are aware of a post circulating of a van driver who is believed to have killed ducklings in Trentham.

"We understand this is an emotive issue for many people and we ask please that you do not take matters into your own hands."

'Van driver could not wait for five seconds'

The original social media post about the incident has been shared more than 2,500 times.

Facebook user Steven Walley wrote: "I've just been driving on the A34 at Trentham Gardens roundabout when a family of seven ducklings were crossing the road.

"All the traffic stopped to let them cross but disgustingly this van driver, after initially stopping, could not then wait for the five seconds it would have taken to let them cross and drove straight over them, crushing three of them."