A studious duck was spotted waiting "in vain" to get its beak into a book outside The Woolwich Centre library on Tuesday (July 5).

The female mallard seemed hungry for knowledge as she flew straight down to the entrance - and appeared to be disappointed that she'd missed the library's opening hours.

Carol Martin told News Shopper: "He tried in vain to get in and when he couldn't get into the centre after realising it was closed he sat down to wait for opening time.

"He was quacking and seemed to be upset that it was closed."

Ms Martin was coming out of Tesco's around 6.30pm when she noticed the duck fly down, walk up to the library door and start peering through the windows.

After spending ten minutes getting in a bit of a flap, it decided to wait patiently.

The duck didn't appear to have any books to return.

She added: "I don't know what book it would have gotten out of the library - it was closed."

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