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Gaggle of geese to feature in illustrated book

John DevineBBC News, Cambridgeshire, March
John Devine/BBC A white goose with orange beak making his way out of a bakery on the Broad Street shopping area of March, a customer looks on in disbelief from behind.John Devine/BBC
The British Trust for Ornithology says it has never heard of examples of geese visiting shops

A market town that has become well known for its gaggle of geese could have a children's book published in their honour.

About 20 white domestic geese have waddled around March, in Cambridgeshire, for the last decade, visiting shops, using zebra crossings - and amassing thousands of social media followers.

The celebrity geese will feature in a 2026 calendar, and now a new book has been earmarked for release next spring.

Shop owners said the gregarious animals had brought "goose tourism" to the town, but there were down sides, including the mess and the aggressive noises they could make.

Chrissie Fadipe An illustration shows a gaggle of geese coming through a shop doorway with excited human faces looking out of a window. The geese are white domestic geese with orange bills and matching webbed-feet. Chrissie Fadipe
An illustration from a new book, earmarked for spring next year, tells the story of the rise to fame of the geese of March

Published author and illustrator Victoria Jane Clark said she was working on the layout design and illustrations of the new book.

The creator of the 2026 goose calendar, Chrissie Fadipe, will write the story, and the pair aim to have the book published next year.

"It is wonderful to have the opportunity to draw and paint these beautiful birds who have inspired joy in the March community," said Ms Clark.

"Being able to immortalise the geese in my illustrations for future generations to enjoy is a huge privilege."

Chrissie Fadipe Victoria Jane Clark has mousy, shoulder-length hair and tortoiseshell-framed glasses. She is wearing a floral dress and is holding a watercolour painting of a white goose with an orange bill. Behind her are some tables and chairs in a pub, with an unlit fireplace in the background.Chrissie Fadipe
Published author and illustrator Victoria Jane Clark with some of her draft paintings of the geese

Mrs Fadipe added that a children's book and a colouring book were also in the pipeline for next year, along with a new website launching in October.

"I did not have this on my bingo card for 2025, to be an unofficial celebrity agent for a gaggle of geese," said Ms Fadipe.

"People have just fallen in love with them.

"With all the doom and gloom in the world, these geese have just brought so much joy to people."

She added that sales from the calendar would go to two animal rescue charities, the Waterfowl Sanctuary in Godmanchester near Huntingdon, and Sally's Duck Rescue based in Wisbech.

Chrissie Fadipe Chrissie Fadipe, 45, has brown hair pulled back tightly over her head, she has glasses on and a black top, she is sitting on a sofa with a toy stuffed goose with his orange beak appearing to nibble her left ear. The wallpaper behind her has a silhouette of grey rabbits.Chrissie Fadipe
Chrissie Fadipe said the original plan of printing 800 calendars would need an extended run, as "people have been requesting up to 15 of them for Christmas presents"

Shop owners Nigel and Julie Lambert said there had been pros and cons to the geese.

"It is lovely to see them, but the mess they leave behind is incredible, you feel like you are playing hop-scotch, you have to try and dodge the poo, it is a problem," Mrs Lambert said.

Mr Lambert thought the book was "a great idea", adding that the birds had brought tourists to the town.

John Devine/BBC Nigel Lambert, 60 and his wife Julie, 60, stand in a park with geese visible behind them on a slight grassy mound. Julie has shoulder length blonde hair and is smiling with a V-necked blue top and a leather shoulder strap over her right shoulder. Nigel Lambert has short grey hair which is a bit spikey he has a neat grey beard and moustache and is wearing a blue and white patterned shirt and has his right arm around his wife's shoulder.John Devine/BBC
Nigel and Julie Lambert say the birds have brought "goose tourism" to the town

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