A COLLECTION of rubber ducks which have visited Buckingham Palace will be brightening up a children's hospital ward.

Staff at Asda in Horwich sent seven plastic yellow ducks to the royal family after reading a story in a national newspaper about the Queen being attached to her bath time rubber duck.

The supermarket staff did not want the rest of the royal family to feel left out and sent the ducks as presents for Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Sarah Ferguson, Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones.

However, the ducks winged their way back to Asda only a week later with a letter explaining that the royal family cannot accept gifts from commercial companies.

The well-travelled ducks have now found a new home in the children's ward of the Royal Bolton Hospital along with a stack of toys which the supermarket donated to cheer up the young patients.

Eileen Milner, who is the health and safety co-ordinator at Asda, said: "I packaged the ducks up and sent them to Buckingham Palace in a lovely gift box.

"We enclosed quite a jokey message explaining that we didn't want anyone to feel left out and we were sending the ducks as 'bathroom buddies' and we even offered to provide ducks to anyone else in the royal household who wanted one!"

A spokesman from the hospital said: "We are grateful to Asda for the ducks and toys.

"Children appreciate having colourful toys to play with on the ward."

A spokesman from Buckingham Palace said: "We don't wish to comment but it is correct that the royal family cannot accept gifts from commercial companies."