Windsor breeding swan killed in 'barbaric' attack

Nash, pictured with his cygnets in 2020, was one of a breeding pair

A swan - one of a breeding pair - has been found dead after having its neck wrung.

The male bird, called Nash, was discovered on the River Thames at Romney Island, Windsor, on Thursday.

Rescue charity Swan Support said it had monitored the pair for five years with one of the charity's volunteers checking on them daily.

It said Nash's mate, Lottie, had been building a nest for this year's cygnets and had been left "defenceless".

'Deliberate attack'

In a Facebook post, the charity said the bird was found on the Eton side of the island.

It said: "On arrival we were horrified to find that someone had wrung the male's neck. This was a deliberate attack.

"This has been a very upsetting time especially for one of our volunteers who would check on them.

"This barbaric act of cruelty has been confirmed by our vet."

It is thought the bird was killed between 14:00 and 17:30 GMT.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Thames Valley Police.