Sixteen ducklings hitch a ride on mother's back

It's difficult enough ferrying kids and around when they young - especially when there's too many to fit in one car. But this mother has taken it all in her stride.

This mother duck can be seen transporting not one or two of her kids in one go but 16.

See also: Incredible pics show duckling hatching at Irish wildlife sanctuary

Mark Chimes was the lucky photographer who captured this incredible moment in Queen's Park, Heywood, Lancashire, the Daily Mail reports.

Mr Chimes said: "When I started counting how many ducklings were riding along on their mums back I couldn't believe how high it was.

"Usually, with the ducks, as soon as you lift up your camera to take a photo they move right away, so it was great to be able to get a shot on the pond this time."

But don't worry about those who didn't quite managed to squeeze a ride on their mum's back because they were right behind her, paddling to keep up.

See also: Police escorting family of ducks safely across road is cute

Their mode of transport is surprising, but so is the number of ducklings that are in the photograph too, as ducks usually only lay around 12 eggs at a time.

However, just last week a wildlife sanctuary in London was amazed to find a mother duck had hatched 18 ducklings!

It's thought that the unusually mild temperatures confused the mother duck, ITV reports.

John Arbon, grounds manager from the London Wetland Centre, said: "Mallards are very adaptable species and will take advantage of weather conditions - they always have. 25 years ago this would have been unthinkable - but with the milder conditions seemingly due to climate change this kind of confusion is becoming more normal."