IN a flurry of feathers a pair of white swans were placed back into Shaftesbury Lake after being removed to allow dredging work to be carried out on the stretch of water that separates Eldene from Park South.

As husband and wife team from Swindon Animal Sanctuary, Sue and Roger Hulbert, released the birds, they jumped free of their special carrying bags on the muddy bank and headed straight for the water.

Mr Hulbert said: "It is wonderful for them to be back home."

And watching them spread their wings and glide low across the surface of the lake he added: "It is always nice to see them back where they belong. They certainly seem to want to stretch their wings."

Swindon animal sanctuary has been looking after the breeding pair since work began in September last year to dredge tonnes of silt from the bottom of the lake that has built up over 35 years.

As a result, parts of the lake were just one metre deep. The last time the lake was dredged was in 1967 and since then more than a metre of silt has formed.

In 1999 Swindon Angling Club commissioned a fisheries consultant to produce a report after concerns about the silt problems.

The £60,000 project, which has been funded by Swindon Angling Club, the borough council and the Environment Agency, was launched to prevent the lake turning into a marsh.

Secretary of Swindon Angling club Graham Cherry was on hand to witness the swans' return .

He said: "Now that the silt has been cleared, we have allowed the water to refill the lake to its normal level.

"We also plan to landscape the surrounding area and build a bridge over the outflow at each end of the waterway so that people will be able to walk around the whole area.

"And we also plan to stock the lake with a variety of fish including pike, tench, perch, bream and roach. It is going to look beautiful."

He added that other plans include a children's pond dipping area, disabled fishing facilities and picnic tables.