Fire Crew Rescues Swan From Tree

Firefighters were called to an unusual rescue after a swan found itself stuck up a tree.

The bird had become tangled in the tree on the banks of the River Tyne, East Lothian.

It was spotted in distress and a fire and rescue crew from Haddington fire station was called to the scene yesterday.

Working with a Scottish SPCA warden, the crew, wearing water safety kit, used a short extension ladder to release the trapped bird.

The swan is receiving treatment at the Royal Dick Veterinary School in Edinburgh.

Animal rescue officer Fiona Thorburn said: "The swan was about 16ft up the tree and clearly in distress."

It's possible he had been up there overnight as it wasn't until early on Wednesday morning he was discovered.

"The firefighters were able to get the bird to safety using a rope pulley system and, after examination, he had no obvious injuries other than being quite weak."

This was the second swan rescue for firefighters this week. A crew from Marionville fire station were called to assist a swan trapped 15ft up in telephone cables in an Edinburgh garden on Monday.