The UK Government spent nearly £300,000 of taxpayers' money on research which proved ducks like the rain, it was revealed today.

The UK Government spent nearly £300,000 of taxpayers' money on research which proved ducks like the rain, it was revealed today.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) funded the work by scientists to "ascertain the importance of bathing water to ducks".

The research found that having offered a number of different water supplies to ducks - including a trough, pond, shower and nipple drinker - the birds favoured standing under a shower.

The research was aimed at ensuring ducks are properly treated when kept indoors on farms.

The three-year, £294,027 project was branded "quackers" by the National Farmers Union (NFU).

Anthony Rew, Devon chairman of the NFU, said: "They need to get out of London and get on a farm to see how the countryside works, to put policies in place that are practical and well-costed.

"They are looking for farmers to help with costs - if they asked a farmer, they would tell them ducks like water."

A Defra spokesman said the research, backed by the British Poultry Council, looked at all the issues surrounding the welfare of intensively housed ducks.

The study found ducks given showers spent more than twice as long standing under the water while "resting" than with water in a bath, trough or nipple drinker.

The research was carried out by Oxford University scientists Marian Dawkins and Tracey Jones.

Professor Dawkins told Farmers Weekly: "Ducks made it very clear - they love to shower.

"They used the showers far more than any other source of water we provided.

"Now further research will have to be undertaken to study their behaviour more closely in terms of how often showering facilities are required."

Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson, a member of Efra, the Commons committee which scrutinises Defra's work, told the Western Morning News: "Although this proves once and for all the saying that rain really is nice weather for ducks, I am sure Defra - having had shortfalls in their budget - could have found better uses for money."

Tory MP Geoffrey Cox, who also sits on the Efra committee, said: "In times of national difficulty, it is always necessary to have some comic relief, and it is no surprise that Defra has obliged."

A Defra spokesman said: "This report, published last September, looked at all the issues surrounding the welfare of intensively housed ducks, and was backed by the British Poultry Council who are experts on what the industry needs.

"It's disappointing that some have chosen to misrepresent a serious piece of work that aims to support Britain's poultry industry and ensure that ducks are kept at the high welfare standards which consumers expect."