After impressively coaxing the usually unruly rabble of birds into a well drilled unit, farmer Xu Ling promptly marched the beaked birds along a 70mph highway in Changde, Hunan. Mr Ling was transporting his herd of ducks back to his land from a nearby lake where they had been feeding. Despite the risk of a fine and a caution from the police, the farmer took the superfast highway to avoid taking the long route home. \'I know I shouldn\'t do it and that the police will fine me if they see me, but I have more than 200 birds and you need a wide road to herd them all along at the same time,\' he explained. \'The only other way home is through lots of small alleys and you lose too many birds like that. \'I apologised to the drivers but my ducks can only go so fast so I beg them to be patient,\' he added. (Metro)