A swan that caused M4 traffic queues on the motorway has been caught by police.

The swan was retrieved by Wiltshire Police’s road policing unit from the motorway after it wandered onto the carriageway, causing congestion.

The AA reported: “Traffic easing, animals in the road earlier on M4 both ways from J16 A3182 Hay Lane (Swindon West) to J15 A419 Marlborough Road (Swindon East).”

However, it was not multiple animals, but ‘just the one swan’ - the single bird being reported as rescued by police on social media.

Wiltshire Police said: “It’s just the one swan actually. RPU [Road Policing Unit] collected this swan from the M4 and released it somewhere more suitable.

“It perfectly matched the detailed description from the member of the public (It’s a swan).”

The Mammal Society reports that around 300,000 animals are killed on UK roads each year, with the M5 being the most dangerous out of major motorways.

It is estimated that around 50,000 to 100,000 hedgehogs are killed annually on roads, out of a population of about 600,000.

October 10 is World Animal Road Accident Awareness Day, created to draw attention to the increasing numbers of animals who lose their lives or are injured by vehicles.

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