Guided tour through Muscovy Ducks

AN American writer is giving people a guided tour of Ely through the eyes of some of its most well-known residents - Muscovy ducks. Graphic designer Fran Bussard has written and illustrated The Ducks of Ely Visitors Guide. She has dreamed up colourful ch

AN American writer is giving people a guided tour of Ely through the eyes of some of its most well-known residents - Muscovy ducks.

Graphic designer Fran Bussard has written and illustrated The Ducks of Ely Visitors' Guide.

She has dreamed up colourful characters like Alfie, the free-spirited graffiti artist duck, street musician ducks, a duck headmistress and an antiques expert duck, who take readers to some of Ely's attractions.

The guide highlights many of Ely's restaurants and cafes but strongly recommends against ordering duck.

Mrs Bussard, 51, originally from New Orleans, moved to Ely in February and works at RAF Lakenheath.

She said: "I was fascinated by the ducks when I moved here and straightaway thought about doing something like this. They are everywhere and seem to rule the place.

"I really find Ely to be a magical storybook-type place; there are lots colourful characters. Many of the ducks are based on people I've met here."

Mrs Bussard is a member of Ely's Olive Tree Fellowship church group and hopes the guide will be a precursor to a children's storybook.

Any proceeds made from it to be donated to a charity of the church's choice.

The Ducks of Ely Visitors' Guide is available for £1 from Oliver Cromwell's House, Cloisters Antiques and the Angela Mellor Gallery.