NEIGHBOURS went to the aid of a frantic swan as she tried to save her nest from flooding.
Samantha Godden-Wood, who lives at the Coach House, on Distillery Lane, saw the swan’s nest suddenly be submerged.
The fashion model ran outside where the swan was shaking and desperately trying to save her eggs, but just two of the six survived.
In an amazing display of trust, the swan let Miss Godden-Wood help rebuild a new nest by taking straw and branches from her hands and neighbours’.
She said: “When I came outside to the swan, she was covered in mud from where she had been digging and the eggs which were left were very cold.
“My neighbour Christine came out with some straw to try and keep them warm.
“Everyone who lives here protects the wildlife and the swans have been here for such a long time.
“Once we built the nest together, she sat on it and turned the remaining two eggs with her beak and covered them with the straw.
“We fed her bird pellets and bread, which you’re not meant to give them, but she needed some strength because she was so stressed and I think it gave her the second wind she needed.”
Having lived at the property for 33 years with her mum, Margaret, Miss Godden-Wood explained how the homeowners regularly rescue ducks and birds near the pond who suffer injuries from leftover fishing equipment and litter.
She said: “It’s so upsetting. One of my favourite ducks called Wobble had a carrier bag stuck around her head once.
“The wildlife here seem to be forgotten about when they should be more protected. We’re forever rescuing the animals and get fed up of the fishermen who can be quite careless and tend to leave hooks around which then go into their feet.
“I’ve never quite seen the flooding this bad. Our front lawn was completely underwater but we worry if this will happen again which is why I had to help the swan.”
- Click here for a full gallery of flooding pictures.
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