Injured swan rescued by lifeboat

The crew had to chase the bird around the lake

A swan hurt by discarded fishing line had to be rescued by a lifeboat crew so its injuries could be treated.

The distressed bird, which is thought to have swallowed several inches of the wire, was spotted by passers-by at the Apex Leisure Park in Highbridge.

Workers at the Somerset town's Secret World wildlife centre called in the Burnham-on-Sea Area Rescue Boat team.

After a brief chase around the lake, the stricken swan was caught. It will be cared for by staff at the sanctuary.

Alan Miller, chairman of the rescue boat team, said: "If we don't go to the aid of animals, there's a risk that people may enter the water to try and carry out the rescue themselves, which can quickly turn into a tragedy.

"Providing we're not jeopardising the rescue of a person elsewhere, we'll always help."

Secret World's head of animal care Ellie West added: "Without the rescue boat it would have been very difficult and time consuming to capture."