Sickening swan death ‘could have been avoided’ says distraught rescuer

The cygnet got trapped with its mother and sibling on the Forth and Clyde Canal near Southbank Marina.

A passer-by went to the rescue, but despite freeing the mother and one of the cygnets, the other one sadly died.

Just a few hours later the mother and her surviving cygnet got tangled in the lines once more.

The mum was freed, however, it is believed she still has part of the fishing line caught on her body.

The other cygnet, which is about two-months-old, was taken from the water ‘clinging to life’ and rushed to the Hessilhead Wildlife Trust Centre, in Ayrshire.

The woman who freed the swans said: “This should never have happened, it’s so needless.

“When I arrived at the canal the mum, dad and one of the cygnets were there and the other cygnet had its head under the water and was dead.

“If anglers get their lines caught in the canal all they do is cut them off and leave them in the water.

“What has happened could have been avoided and there is the potential for it to happen again.

“This was a lovely family of swans and we’ve lost them.”

The swans had been nesting under the bridge beside the Southbank Marina, in Kirkintilloch.

Hessilhead Wildlife Trust says the injured cygnet is now doing well and should make a full recovery.

Gay Christie, trustee at Hessilhead, said: “I have no problem with people fishing, but they need to make sure their lines are taken away.

“It really is a killer yet it is so easy to avoid.”

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