A woman is using her spare time to patrol a river after a number of ducks were found injured and dead.

Dorchester Duck Patrol group formed in the spring after a number of attacks on the wildlife that live on the River Frome.

In the past six months, five attacks have been reported to Dorset Police.

Gillian May the patrol group founder said: "I felt like I really had to do something to try and protect them, protect our innocent wildlife from these mindless vandals."

Warning: Some readers might find some of the photographs in this story upsetting.

"They are mostly catapulting," said May who hopes the patrols are deterring the people harming the ducks.

"I want to get the message out there that we are going to be fighting back against this."

She wants to see CCTV installed along the River Frome which runs for about 38 miles (60 km).

It passes through Dorchester and then southeast of the county towards Wareham and into Poole Harbour.

"I absolutely love the ducks, it is so peaceful here and you wouldn't think you are in the middle of a town centre, you come here to escape everything," she said.

"Families enjoy this place, dog walkers and it's just the whole background with the little quacking, watching the little babies grow up, the cygnets, it's just a really special magical place.

"I just feel very passionate about this and very blessed to have this on our door step."

Suzanne Norbury from the RSPCA said that there has been a 19% rise in intentional harm reports in Dorset: "Alongside wildlife that's domestic animals, farm animals, horses and that's stabbings, beatings, mutilations, being shot with a weapon, so it's really concerning to see that."

Norbury said that it is often groups of young people carrying out the offences: "We know they are sharing the videos on social media, particularly TikTok.

"So we are encouraging people who are aware of any videos being shared on social media to inform the police straight away."

Dorset Police said on social media it was well aware of wild birds being mindlessly targeted with catapults.

The local neighbourhood policing team is now carrying out regular high-visibility and plain-clothed patrols in the area.

The post said: "Officers have been liaising with partner agencies, including the local authority youth outreach team, to take appropriate action when anyone suspected of being involved is identified."