Colburn Lakes: Nesting swan killed and eggs stolen

The swan was killed while nesting in Colburn village, police said

A swan has been killed while guarding its nest at a lake in North Yorkshire.

The adult male was found dead at Colburn Lakes, behind Brompton on Swale Caravan Park, on Tuesday afternoon. Two eggs had also been stolen.

"The swan has entry wounds on its head and neck but we have yet to establish how they were caused," a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said.

They appealed for information about "suspicious people" in the area and the whereabouts of the stolen eggs.

The attack comes a week after two swans were killed and seven eggs taken from a site in South Somercotes, near Louth in Lincolnshire.

All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and it is an offence to kill them, interfere with a nest, or remove chicks or eggs.