Five baby birds rescued from a pile of pallets are thriving thanks to caring staff at a local vet's surgery.

The tiny birds – believed to be chaffinch chicks – were discovered sitting in a nest among a pallet delivery from Scotland at Scott Pallets recycling site in Church Gresley yesterday (Weds).

The quick-thinking employee who discovered the nest and its chirping contents contacted Bright Side Vets' West Street surgery.

The five chicks are the latest of an increased number of wildlife being brought to the practice.

And Bright Side Vets receptionist Ellie Bates volunteered to take up the role as the chicks' surrogate parent.

She told Swadlincote Nub News: "A gentleman rang to say these tiny birdies were found after being accidentally shipped with some pallets from Glasgow.

"Unfortunately mummy and daddy bird are still in Scotland.

"With a bit of TLC we will get these babies ready for the big wide world.

"They may be tiny and very cute, but they are ravenous and while they are eating mealworms mostly, they are particularly partial to cat food.

"I'm caring for them at home where they are nice and cosy in their nest.

"They are very well behaved and while they are awake a lot of the day tweeting, they do sleep at night.

"When I'm working my partner keeps an eye on them and gives them a top-up feed if they are particularly rowdy and I go home every lunchtime to on check them.

"They are none the worse for travelling on a truck from Glasgow – I suspect they probably slept all the way."

Bright Side Vets is liaising with the RSPB to determine where the baby birds can be released into the wild.