Train derailment oil hits birds

The birds were rescued with the help of Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Unit

A wildlife charity believes oil from a derailed train in East Ayrshire has affected dozens of wild birds.

The Scottish SPCA rescued 20 swans as well as cormorants, geese and eider ducks from around Irvine Harbour.

It said it was "certain" the oil had come from a freight train which came off the rails on Tuesday morning close to Stewarton, about seven miles away.

Rail accident investigators are trying to establish why the train, which was carrying kerosene and diesel, derailed.

The birds were rescued with the help of Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Unit.

They have now been transported to the SSPCA's Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fife.

We will not be able to release them back in to the water at Irvine Harbour until all the oil has been cleaned up so they could stay in our care for a while yet Colin Seddon SSPCA

SSPCA manager Colin Seddon said: "Each bird goes into a large stainless steel sink in our purpose-built oiled bird facility and we use washing up liquid to remove the oil. It's a two-man job that can take up to an hour per bird.

"They can ingest the oil so we stomach feed the swans with a charcoal mixture to help eliminate toxins from the oil.

"Once they have been cleaned up and are feeding ok then they usually make a fairly swift recovery.

"However, we will not be able to release them back in to the water at Irvine Harbour until all the oil has been cleaned up so they could stay in our care for a while yet."

A spokesman for the SSPCA said it was "certain" the derailed train was the source of the oil.

It appeared to have run from the derailment, through the River Annick and into the harbour, he said.

A spokesman for the Ayrshire Rivers Trust said the extent of the spillage was "vast."