A SWAN which had to be rescued from a Stoke Prior canal after a fishing hook was digging into him was found covered in oil less than a week later.
A fire crew from Bromsgrove and the water rescue team from Droitwich were sent to the waterway off Shaw Lane at 6.19pm on May 23 to rescue a swan which had been tangled up in a fishing line.
After being treated by Wychbold Swan Rescue, the swan was released but was found covered in oil six days later.
Jan Harrigan, from the centre, told The Standard: “It is awful what is happening.
“The swan lives around that area so he returns to the same place.
“He will have a partner who is either sitting at the moment or who has just hatched her young.
“He has been oiled before but we have no idea why it is happening.
Jan has pleaded fishermen and the public to be more careful when discarding their unwanted equipment.
“At the moment there are a lot of young swans about and we are getting quite a few youngsters coming into the centre.
“Fishing line and hooks can kill swans very easily, they are lethal.
“I just hope people are more careful and think of the wildlife in the area.”
The swan has since been released again after undergoing a course of antibiotics.
