A SWAN left fighting for its life after being savaged by a group of dogs has died.

The attack, witnessed by screaming children at Liden Lagoon, left one cygnet dead and the second with severe injuries to its leg and side.

But the fledgling died a week after the mauling by two greyhounds and a border collie.

Sue Hulbert, 53, runs the South West Swan Sanctuary and was caring for the injured cygnet.

She said: "It is gutting. The vet stitched the cygnet up and I did everything I could for it. I think it went into shock and had internal injuries."

Sanctuary volunteers, Margaret and Graham Damiral, had looked after the swans since they hatched and were there when the dogs attacked.

Margaret, 63, said: "It was horrific. All the children were petrified."

Sue, who operates the sanctuary from her home in Shrivenham Road, said dogs should always be on a lead around the lake.

She said: "I own a dog and there is no way I'd trust it round there. It's in their instinct to chase. I don't blame the dogs but the owners. They should be more responsible."

Sue's husband Roger said: "My wife was up all night with the swan. The other one had to be put down as it was nearly ripped in half."

Volunteers at the sanctuary are currently caring for six cygnets, one swan, five ducks, six chickens and a number of hedgehogs injured by cars.

"Animals come in from all over and we try and look after them all, but it gets difficult," says Sue.

"At the beginning of the year we had 20 cygnets all under two weeks old. And today we have rescued a swan from The Lawns with a suspected wing injury.

"The strangest one we have had was a goose which flew into a house and knocked itself unconscious on top of the front door. We had to go down and bring it back."

For more information about the sanctuary please call Swindon 336408.