Love birds ready to swan off together

Bristol Bill and Swansea Lil were brought to the Swindon branch of the South West Swan Sanctuary separately last year.

Both were in a bad way, but the future is now looking bright and they are making plans to start a family.

Sue Hulbert runs the sanctuary with her husband Roger. She said: "Bristol Bill was taken from the Bristol dock area. He was one of nine swans with botulism, and he was the only one that survived.

"It took him a long long time to get over it.

Swansea Lil's story is even more dramatic.

She was flying with her partner when he hit a power cable.

Sue said: "Her partner was flying above her and when he hit the cable he landed on top of Lil and brought her down as well.

"The people who rescued her weren't sure what her injuries were because she was covered in what turned out to be his blood."

Sue met the people who had found the swans by the motorway at Newport, but the male died on the way.

She said: "Lil was covered in blood. We brought her back to Swindon and put her on a drip. She was terribly badly bruised. She's been here ever since."

But Bill and Lil have found solace in each other.

Sue said: "Their friendship has just blossomed into love.

"You can tell it's love because they entwine their necks and make heart shapes, and they make noises to each other. Where one goes the other goes.

"It's absolutely wonderful because this doesn't happen very often. They're genuinely in love.

"Tomorrow we are taking them to live on a private lake near Barnstaple where hopefully they will nest and have babies."

After a very bad year, Bill and Lil can look forward to a future on the 32-acre site which has nine ponds and lakes, all fed by a private spring, and complete with their very own paradise island.

Sue said: "I didn't think Bill would make it but here he is now, ready to go off with his loved one and have babies.

"I couldn't be happier for them."

Last year the South West Swan Sanctuary rescued around 200 swans and 400 other birds.

Their bills for lettuce alone come to £400 a month. Lettuce is fed as a substitute to grass when swans are in captivity.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can contact the sanctuary on 01793 336408.

7TWO swans that met at a Swindon bird sanctuary have fallen in love and are heading for an island paradise.

Bristol Bill and Swansea Lil were brought to the Swindon branch of the South West Swan Sanctuary separately last year.

Both were in a bad way, but the future is now looking bright and they are making plans to start a family.

Sue Hulbert runs the sanctuary with her husband Roger. She said: "Bristol Bill was taken from the Bristol dock area. He was one of nine swans with botulism, and he was the only one that survived.

"It took him a long long time to get over it.

Swansea Lil's story is even more dramatic.

She was flying with her partner when he hit a power cable.

Sue said: "Her partner was flying above her and when he hit the cable he landed on top of Lil and brought her down as well.

"The people who rescued her weren't sure what her injuries were because she was covered in what turned out to be his blood."

Sue met the people who had found the swans by the motorway at Newport, but the male died on the way.

She said: "Lil was covered in blood. We brought her back to Swindon and put her on a drip. She was terribly badly bruised. She's been here ever since."

But Bill and Lil have found solace in each other.

Sue said: "Their friendship has just blossomed into love.

"You can tell it's love because they entwine their necks and make heart shapes, and they make noises to each other. Where one goes the other goes.

"It's absolutely wonderful because this doesn't happen very often. They're genuinely in love.

"Tomorrow we are taking them to live on a private lake near Barnstaple where hopefully they will nest and have babies."

After a very bad year, Bill and Lil can look forward to a future on the 32-acre site which has nine ponds and lakes, all fed by a private spring, and complete with their very own paradise island.

Sue said: "I didn't think Bill would make it but here he is now, ready to go off with his loved one and have babies.

"I couldn't be happier for them."

Last year the South West Swan Sanctuary rescued around 200 swans and 400 other birds.

Their bills for lettuce alone come to £400 a month. Lettuce is fed as a substitute to grass when swans are in captivity.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can contact the sanctuary on 01793 336408.