Oxford swan rescue: Man smashes frozen pond with scooter

A man has been captured on camera rescuing a swan from a frozen pond by smashing through the ice with a child's scooter.

Trevor Williams, who was wild swimming in Hinksey Park, Oxford, undertook the daring rescue after concerned onlookers told him about the swan's plight.

Mr Williams made his way to the trapped bird by breaking the ice with a scooter that a child in the park had lent him.

"There were people in the park who were upset because this swan had gone on to the small duck pond, and was stuck so couldn't get anywhere," he explained.

"I didn't think too much about it, I just went and did it."

He added: "I broke the ice and when I got close to it I started getting nervous so I backed off a bit, and it gradually found its way into some of the broken ice I'd created."

Moments later the swan was filmed waddling out of the pond, seemingly unperturbed by the encounter.

Warnings have been issued during the recent cold spell about the dangers of going into frozen water, external.

Swan rescue filmed by Ellie Massie