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Published:
September 18, 2008
Swans
rescued from Highbridge lake after swallowing
fishing hooks
 An
inshore rescue boat crew from Burnham-On-Sea teamed up with wildlife
experts to retrieve two injured swans from a Highbridge lake on
Wednesday evening (September 17th).
East
Huntspill's Secret World Wildlife Centre called on the help of
BARB, the Burnham charity that runs a rescue boat and two hovercrafts,
after a walker spotted two birds struggling in the water at Apex
Wildlife Park in Highbridge.
"One
bird had swallowed a hook and a line and was in a distressed state
and the other had a lump in its neck which was also caused by
fishing tackle," said Secret World's Graeme Thompson.
"We'd
tried unsuccessfully to reach them both from the banks of the
lake, so the help of the inshore boat was much needed."
 Mr
Thompson was taken out onto the water by BARB crewmen Paul Giles
and Alan Humphries and the swans were captured using a large net
before one was released and the other was taken away for treatment
by Secret World.
Steve
Perks, BARB's Operations Manager, said: "If distressed animals
are not rescued, people may be tempted to venture into the water
themselves and in turn put their own lives at risk. Providing
that we're not jeopardizing the rescue of a person elsewhere,
BARB is happy to help."
Pictured
at the top of the page is Secret World's Emily Redman holding
a fishing hook removed from one of the swan's mouths during Wednesday's
incident and, beneath, Secret World's Graeme Thompson Emily Redman
with BARB crewmembers Paul Giles and Alan Humphries in the background
Burnham-On-Sea
Hovercraft Web site
BBC Online coverage of this incident
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