Swans culled at Droitwich rescue centre after bird flu outbreak

The government confirmed the H5N8 bird flu strain had been found in the birds at Wychbold Swan Rescue

All birds at a swan rescue centre will have to be put down after an outbreak of bird flu, a charity has said.

The culling at Wychbold Swan Rescue, near Droitwich, Worcestershire, comes after it treated two swans from Evesham which passed the virus to others.

A number of cases of avian flu have been found in England.

The government has said all captive birds have to be kept indoors from Monday to prevent the spread of bird flu.

The swan rescue group said on Wednesday it found two dead swans in the centre of Evesham and later found another four.

At the time, Jan Harrigan from Wychbold Swan Rescue said the original two swans rescued died in the night, but soon nine others at the centre died, along with some chickens.

Two ill swans passed the virus on to other birds at the rescue centre in Wychbold

On Sunday, the Department for Environment Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the H5N8 bird flu strain was confirmed at the centre and all birds on the premises would be culled.

Cases of the H5N8 strain have been confirmed in other places including a turkey farm in Norfolk and a chicken farm near Leominster, where an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was set up.

There are numerous strains of bird flu. Most are low risk to humans, or are not easily caught and spread by humans.

The H5N8 strain has not infected any humans worldwide to date, the NHS said.

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Due to the number of cases detected among both captive and wild birds, Defra ordered all captive birds to be kept inside from 14 December.

The government said it should "not affect the consumption of poultry products".

No end date for the measures has been given, but Defra said they would be kept under "regular review".