15404/02GAZETTE & HERALD: AN INJURED cygnet had a rescue team in a flap as it took five days to catch in Chippenham.

The young swan had its leg caught in fishing wire and was in danger of losing its life but still battled against Mike Hanes and Paul Richardson from Cotswolds Swan Rescue.

The team was called out by the RSPCA but was unable to catch the cygnet in the first three days.

Crowds gathered round through the week to watch the cygnet dive out of the way of the hook but fortunately the duo caught the bird early Sunday morning.

"We were thinking of going down on Saturday but thought we'd give him a break and it worked.

"It was quite distressed. If we couldn't have caught it, it would have lost its leg and then its life. It would have been a shame to put down one of this year's swans.

"If we had a swan with the wing off we could find a private lake for that but without the leg it could not swim or get up on to the bank."

The swan will be now be released in Cotswolds Water Park as there is a group of adult birds trying to drive out the cygnets in Chippenham.

"There are about 40, all single swans, and we put them somewhere like that because they will pick up mates and then they will go on to new waters."

Mr Richardson said it was a difficult catch but they were glad they could take it to a vet for some treatment.

"He's been to the vet who has had a go taking out the line because we couldn't get it out.

"We couldn't get to the swan first thing on Sunday but then a family came down and started feeding him, and the other cygnets came across the water as well.

"I had a go at catching it but one of them got under my feet and I almost went into the river.

"Then the cygnets came back to us and I thought it's now or never.

"He ducked with his head but I just caught him with his wing and my colleague had to run in and get him.

"There was a lot of flapping about but we got him safe."

Mr Richardson said uncountable loaves of bread had been used to entice the signet towards them but it had wised up to their tactics after a few failed attempts.

"It's not quite as easy as it looks. You could catch three or four first go and have another one that takes forever.

"We just got him in to the bank once and a man let his dog off the lead and it jumped into the water and scared them off."

Mr Richardson said fisherman angered him and added they are often called out to rescue animals which have hooks caught on them or fishing line wrapped around them.

"It's not only swans, it's all wildlife. We've had herons, jackdaws, owls with hooks in wings or beaks.

"It makes us disgusted and angry. You get so many problems with injuries."