This is the moment two swans were rescued after one crash landed and another was hit by a car when freak gale-force winds blew them off course.
One of the birds was hit by a car after a strong gust of wind – caused by Storm Eleanor – whipped it into the road.
A second swan was also injured when it crash landed just yards away from the first injured bird.
Dramatic pictures show passersby and a police officer rescuing the injured birds after the freak incidents on Wednesday (3/1) in Worcester.
Police were called at around 12pm to reports of a swan being struck by a car near Worcester bridge.
It is believed the bird was blown into the busy main road as 70mph winds battered the city.
PC Cliff Green, of West Mercia Police, bundled the injured bird up in his hi-visibility jacket before handing it to rescue.
Officers then put a call into Wychbold Swan Rescue who look after and treat injured swans, and volunteer John Stewart dashed to the scene before finding a second bird in distress.
Jan Harrigan who runs the centre said: “We received a call from the police, who told us they have a swan injured that hit by a car, so we went down and collected it for treatment.
“I think it must have been blown off course into the path of the car from the strong winds on Wednesday.
“Swans have a large wing span, so when there’s strong winds they can get blown about, it tried to swerve out of the way of the car but just couldn’t.
“The car caught the swan on head, when we got there its eye was bleeding very badly, it had be looked over by an eye specialist, hopefully the eye can survive.
“The police were very good with the swan they stayed with it all the way until we got there and even cover it, it’s nice when people care about the swans.”
Whilst attending to the swan who was hit by the car, another swan was reported to be injured on the other side of the bridge.
Jan added: “whilst we were treating this swan and person told us about a second swan who was injured on the other side, so we rushed over to help that one too.
“There may be a bump or two along with its injured eye, the swan is up and walking about, but it is in an enclosed area.
“We check on the eye three times a day and give the swan antibiotics, if it does loose the eye, then it will be grounded forever, that’s why we look at it every day and try to improve the eye.
“We are not too sure what happened to the second swan, but it might have just landed awkwardly, as it was struggling to walk properly.
“We had a lot of problems with the strong winds this week, I’m expecting there to be more injures to the swan, as it seems the wind isn’t letting off.”
