TWO teenagers appeared before Swindon magistrates yesterday and admitted killing a swan and injuring its mate.

Damien Penrose, 18, of Bath Road, and a 15-year-old each pleaded guilty to intentionally killing a wild bird, injuring a second wild bird and having a loaded air rifle in Lawn woods without lawful authority.

Penrose also admitted criminal damage to a window valued at £150.

The juvenile, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was remanded to the youth court for sentencing today.

Marion Langford, prosecuting, said women walking their dogs near the lake saw the pair with the air weapon.

They later saw the female swan had a bleeding hole next to her right eye and blood on her back. The male was nowhere to be seen.

"It was quite a mindless act of vandalism," said the prosecutor. "And it is surprising that the female swan is still alive."

Hugh Norman, for Penrose, agreed but said he had shown remorse.

"This has had a traumatic effect on him and his family. It has been front page headlines in the local newspaper and there has been a considerable amount of publicity about it," he said.

The weapon, belonging to Penrose, was being used by the pair to shoot at targets on trees. Penrose had been told that if he shot at a swan the pellet would bounce off, but it didn't.

"He accepts that it is down to him that one swan is dead and the other is injured," said Mr Norman.

He also accepted that he had hidden the dead swan and put a duck out of its misery.

The hearing was adjourned until December 4 for sentencing.