A man detained by police for allegedly raping a duck has dismissed the bizarre claim made by his in-laws, calling the accusation “slander”.

Turkish newspaper Habertürk reports that the 50-year-old was held in the Bursa province in Turkey’s Marmara region following the complaints from family members who alleged he committed the sexual assault during an overnight stay in their house.

The man’s father-in-law is reported to have said he found "feathers and blood" in a bed with the duck.

According to the father-in-law, the duck was “unable to walk”. The newspaper adds that the man’s mother-in-law claims that she found the suspect’s bloody shirt by a tree the next morning.

The duck underwent several operations after it was found to have suffered damage to its intestines.

The animal is now said to be in a good condition and remains in the care of a local vet.